Trump Reviews Application Plan for Universal Tariff on 'Core Items'

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, is reportedly considering applying the promised 'universal tariff' selectively to key imported items, according to multiple sources cited by The Washington Post (WP) on the 6th (local time).

AP Yonhap News

According to the report, Trump's aides are reviewing a plan to impose a universal tariff of about 10-20% on all countries, but discussions are ongoing about applying it only to imported items that significantly impact U.S. national security.

During the presidential campaign, Trump had expressed his intention to impose a universal tariff of about 10-20% on all goods imported into the United States. If the report is accurate, the tariff policy of the second Trump administration would be more moderate than initially feared.

WP analyzed that this move is based on the judgment that imposing tariffs on all imports could lead to price increases in items closely related to Americans' daily lives, such as food and electronics, which could become a political misstep. Nevertheless, the discussion of imposing universal tariffs on all countries reflects Trump’s determination to prevent foreign countries from circumventing tariffs by exporting to the U.S. through third countries.

However, sources indicated that the overall tariff policy remains fluid. The specific items subject to tariffs have not yet been finalized. Sources said that the tariff items include raw materials related to defense such as steel, aluminum, and copper; medical fields including syringes, needles, and medicine bottles; and energy production sectors such as batteries, rare earth elements, and solar panels.