Trump authorises sweeping 'reciprocal tariffs' on US trading partners

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order imposing “reciprocal tariffs” on trading partners, with the move aimed at reducing the trade deficit, raising revenue for the US and tackling what he claims are unfair practices.

Mr Trump signed the directive, which he said would strengthen the US economy, in the Oval Office, where he also threatened a 100 per cent tariff on Brics countries if they decide to replace the US dollar as their reserve currency.

"If they want to play games with the dollar, then they're going to be hit with a 100 per cent tariff the day they mentioned that," he told journalists. "And they will come back and say, we beg you, we beg you not to do this, Brics is dead."

Brics originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but it has expanded to include the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran. The group does not have a common currency, but long-running discussions on the subject have gained some momentum after the West imposed sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine.

A senior US administration official said the tariffs would be customised based on each trading nation's profile with respect to “tariffs” imposed on the US, including the VAT rate.

“First, America runs its more than a trillion-dollar pernicious trade deficit because the major exporting nations of the world attack our markets with punishing tariffs and even more punishing non-tariff barriers,” the official told journalists.

A key target, the official said, is the EU and its VAT, which is essentially a sales tax on goods and services regardless of country of origin. US consumers in most states pay sales taxes too, but these are less than the 20 per cent typically seen in Europe.

Mr Trump has suggested that he might target Europe's car and food sectors, calling the bloc an “atrocity” on trade. The bloc's trade surplus with the US grew to €15.3 billion ($15.9 billion) in August this year, from €13 billion in the same period in 2023, according to official data.

The White House official said a 27 per cent tariff would be imposed on cars coming from EU countries. The official did not say when those would take effect.

In a fact sheet, the White House laid out several examples of unreciprocated tariffs, including a 10 per cent rate from the EU on cars, compared to a 2.5 per cent one from the US.

"This lack of reciprocity is one source of America’s large and persistent annual trade deficit in goods: closed markets abroad reduce US exports and open markets at home result in significant imports, both of which undercut American competitiveness," according to the document.

In December, Mr Trump demanded the bloc reduce its growing deficit with the US by making large oil and gas purchases.

“President Trump has rightly singled out the EU hidden VAT, which more than doubles the EU's tariff on American autos, even as it acts as a massive export subsidy,” the official said. “President Trump's fair and reciprocal plan will put a swift end to such exploitation of American workers.”

The move came hours before Mr Trump was scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House. Mr Trump has described India as a “very big abuser” of trade ties with the US and is hoping to reduce the nearly $46 billion trade deficit with the country.

Mr Trump, who took office on January 20, campaigned on promises to impose heavy tariffs, even on some of the country's closest trade partners, as part of his America First agenda.

So far, he has announced 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, but those were postponed in exchange for commitments on border security and crime enforcement from both countries. He has, however, threatened to expand tariffs on steel and aluminium from both countries.

Mr Trump has also imposed 10 per cent duties on goods imported from China.

The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

The Bio

Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity

ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers Henderson, Pickford, Pope.

Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Dier, Gomez, Keane, Maguire, Maitland-Niles, Mings, Saka, Trippier, Walker.

Midfielders Henderson, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse, Winks.

Forwards Abraham, Barnes, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Ings, Kane, Rashford, Sancho, Sterling.

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

THREE

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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

TICKETS

Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE

Flexible work arrangements
Pension support
Mental well-being assistance
Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
Financial well-being incentives

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

More from Neighbourhood Watch:

A rare glimpse of Bedouin life in the humble border town of Qoa

The changing face of Mussaffah

Hatta, where present and past collide

How old Dubai moved with the times and kept its heart

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The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 582bhp

Torque: 730Nm

Price: Dh649,000

On sale: now

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

UAE cricketers abroad

Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.

Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.

Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.