No sooner said than done. The new Commercial offensive by Donald Trump It started very punctual yesterday, taking shape with a series of official letters and statements published on social networks.
His moves, which affect dozens of nations with duties of the order of 25–40% and aim to redesign the balance of global trade, triggered Hard reactions from Brussels to Rio de Janeiroleaving the way open to tight negotiations, exchanges of accusations and growing nervousness on the markets.
The picture that emerges, in ruthlessly geopolitical terms, is that of a Diplomatic and economic challenge Which will affect international strength relationships, exposing fragility and forcing choices how only reality can do.
New letters from the USA: from Tunisia to Laos, the complete list
After anticipating it via social media, Donald Trump He followed his commercial threats, publishing a series of letters sent to governments of different countries on Truth. Notifications, started yesterday at 18 Italians, follow the deadline of 9 July set in April for the entry into force of suspended rates pending negotiations. From 1 August differentiated duties will start, distributed as follows:
- Tunisia – 25%;
- Indonesia – 32%;
- Bosnia – 30%;
- Bangladesh and Serbia – 35%;
- Cambodia and Thailand – 36%;
- Laos and Myanmar – 40% (despite the recent Myanmar earthquake);
- South Africa – 30% (also motivated by Trump’s criticism on the treatment of whites);
- Malaysia and Kazakhstan – 25%.
And it’s not over here. The spokesman for the White House Karoline Leavitt has specified that 12 other countries will receive letters shortly directly from the president. The missives addressed to Japan and South Korea, published in full on social networks, recite: “It is a great honor for me to send you this letter that demonstrates the strength and commitment of our commercial relationship”, adding that “Our relationships are far from mutual“And threatening further increases if the two countries will answer with their own duties. It would be wondered in which Orwell’s dystopian novel we have happened, and instead it is precisely reality.
The American strategy and the negotiating window with Europe
The White House has announced that Trump will sign an executive order to postpone the deadline from 9 July to 1 August. A move that opens margin for an agreement, but nothing more. After Japan and South Korea, other twelve capital will receive notifications.
The Coreper He met yesterday afternoon in Brussels: Sefcovic reported on the meetings in Washington, remembering that the EU proposal remains a Basic dice of 10% with exemptions For planes and alcohol, and that everything remains linked to the choices of Washington.
Von der Leyen for his part he asked for “strength and units”, Merz has aligned Macron and Meloni by phone, while Dombrovskis admitted that no letter arrived in Brussels, while talking about progress. For now no agreement. All postponed to Wednesday. It almost seems that these duties will be accepted as a cataclysm is accepted.
Diplomatic contacts and European pressing
In the last few hours the president of the EU Commission Ursula von der leyen he heard Trump On the phone, defining the constructive conversation and confirming through spokesperson that the contacts with the EU leaders remain constant. In Berlin, Merz’s spokesman recognized that the negotiation is still open and that a common line is looking for. Also yesterday, Von der Leyen, Meloni, Macron and Merz exchanged tight calls to synchronize the moves. In Zagreb, President Mattarella recalled that Europe must remain at the center of an open commercial network, able to guarantee coexistence and stability.
The BRICS reply and the tension with Trump
Trump is like a tornado that stands out in the Texas lands and has also announced Additional duties of 10% against the “aligned” countries ai BRICSdeclaring: “There will be no exceptions to this policy”.
From the summit of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian president Lula replied: “We don’t want an emperor. We are sovereign countries.” An opposite point of view, for example, by that expressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who would instead like to see Trump awarded the Nobel Peace.
The final note of the Brics expressed “Series concerns about the unilateral measures that distort exchanges and threaten the prospects for global development”. The document then speaks of a negative impact of customs barriers and non -tariff restrictions on supply chains and emerging economies.
Lula has boiled as “not very serious” the use of social networks From Trump to intimidate other governments and responded to his words in defense of Bolsonaro reiterating: “Brazil does not accept interference and remains sovereign”. China, by voice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, defined the “dangerous and without winning” commercial wars.
