Trump mulls 20% universal tariff on all foreign imports

Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs also still on the table

President Donald Trump is expected to make an announcement on his tariff policy sometime on Wednesday. (Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Advisers for President Donald Trump have drafted a proposal to impose a 20% universal tariff on almost all goods imported into the U.S., The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

White House advisers said several options are still on the table, including another plan for a country-by-country “reciprocal” approach that would match the tariffs they impose on U.S. goods.

Trump has repeatedly called April 2 “Liberation Day,” aiming to impose a wide range of reciprocal tariffs on nations with duties on U.S. goods. 

“The president will be announcing a tariff plan that will roll back the unfair trade practices that have been ripping off this country for decades. He’s doing this in the best interest of the American worker,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.

Trump is expected to make the announcement on his tariff policy sometime on Wednesday.

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Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com