Donald Trump Slams 'Countries That Have Taken Advantage' of the USA as Tariffs Begin to Take Effect

Just before the clock struck midnight on the night before Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs took effect, the president issued an all-caps rant on Truth Social, where he heavily celebrated his plan being implemented after several delays.

On Thursday, August 7, products from nearly 70 countries were hit with tariffs ranging from 10 to 41 percent, putting the prices of everyday goods, including food, clothing and electronics, at risk of significant increases.

“RECIPROCAL TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, LARGELY FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR MANY YEARS, LAUGHING ALL THE WAY, WILL START FLOWING INTO THE USA,” Trump wrote. “THE ONLY THING THAT CAN STOP AMERICA’S GREATNESS WOULD BE A RADICAL LEFT COURT THAT WANTS TO SEE OUR COUNTRY FAIL!”

The president followed up with a second contentious post, writing, “IT’S MIDNIGHT!!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”

The new tariffs threaten Canada, a top trade partner of the U.S., with a 35 percent tariff. Brazil, America’s key source of coffee, was slapped with a 40 percent tariff as well as a 10 percent baseline rate.

India was given a 25 percent tariff, which is expected to doubled by August 27. The president said on Wednesday, August 6, that the country was given an additional 25 percent tariff as punishment for India continuing to purchase Russian oil amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The countries facing the largest tariff rates are Laos and Myanmar at 40 percent, Syria with 41 percent and Switzerland with 39 percent.

On “Liberation Day,” April 2, Trump discussed his plan to place 90 countries into his tariff program. At the time, he vowed to close 90 trade deals in 90 days. However, as Trump and his administration issued letters to dozens of countries to reach said deals, multiple delays occurred, putting a strain on the tariffs taking effect.

On April 9, when Trump paused all tariffs, excluding China, for 90 days, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commended the president for his efforts to correct “unfair trade practices.”

“For decades, Republicans and Democrats have said that these unfair trade practices are ripping off the American people, are ripping off our country, but nobody has ever done anything to address it,” Leavitt told the press.

“We finally have a president here at the White House who is playing the long game, who is doing what is right for the American worker in our industries here at home, and he has put together a fantastic team in Secretary [Scott] Bessent, Secretary [Howard] Lutnick, the entire trade team who will be focusing on negotiating these good deals to put the American workers first,” she continued. “And we're going to get to work to do that.”