Trump Announces 90 Day Tariff Delay After Raising Duties
- Yewon Choi
- Apr 11
- 1 min read
April 11 2025
By Yewon Choi
On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14257, introducing a 10% blanket tariff on all imported goods under the title "Liberation Day." The order also imposed sharply higher tariffs, reaching up to 104%, on imports from 57 countries including China, Canada, and Mexico, signaling a major escalation in his protectionist trade strategy aimed at narrowing the U.S. trade deficit.
The announcement sent global financial markets into turmoil, raising concerns about a potential economic downturn. Just 13 hours later, Trump reversed course, declaring a 90 day delay in tariff implementation for most countries—excluding China. During this period, only the base 10% tariff would remain in effect. Meanwhile, tariffs on Chinese goods were further increased from 104% to 125% in response to what the administration described as retaliatory actions.
Trump framed the delay as a gesture of flexibility toward countries that chose not to retaliate. Citing market volatility, he stated that people had become fearful, but emphasized that his administration was taking bold action that previous presidents had avoided.
As a result of the adjustment, over 70 countries including South Korea will temporarily face only the 10% base tariff instead of the originally planned 25%. However, existing 25% duties on specific items like automobiles and steel will remain unchanged. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative indicated that negotiations with affected nations could take several weeks or even months, as the sudden policy shift caused confusion both domestically and abroad.
