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Trump reignites the tariff war: his back-and-forth tactics send global uncertainty skyrocketing

Letters to governments with new tariffs of up to 40%. Europe is excluded for now, but the method remains the same: pressure, threats and rolling deadlines

Donald Trump has a tried and tested method, based on continuous “push and pull” that allows him to negotiate from a position of strength. The most obvious example is tariffs, an area in which the American president is playing a strategic game of announcements, postponements and targeted pressure. The latest move: tariffs of up to 40% on several Asian countries and BRICS members, with different deadlines and room for negotiation.

From 9 July, the new deadline for tariffs, we may move to 1 August, at least for those who are not yet officially in the crosshairs. No letter has arrived in Brussels, a sign that there may still be room for agreement with Europe. However, the method has changed: requests are now sent in writing, with letters to governments serving more to send public messages than to formalise negotiations.

The new tariffs hit hard:

Laos and Myanmar: +40%
Cambodia and Thailand: +36%
Bangladesh and Serbia: +35%
Indonesia: +32%
South Africa and Bosnia: +30%
Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Malaysia: +25%

For now, this is a warning, but the deadline for avoiding the actual application expires at the end of the month. Trump’s goal is clear: to obtain more favourable bilateral agreements, using tariffs as leverage. Those who do not accept the American conditions pay the price for access to the US market.

However, this strategy creates a climate of total uncertainty. Instability is reflected in the markets, freezing investment and paralysing business planning. Companies do not know how much it will cost to import or export in the coming months. As a result, prices rise, confidence falls, and a new wave of global inflation is fuelled, affecting households and consumption.

Meanwhile, threats to the BRICS countries increase geopolitical tensions, while the global economy pays the price for a policy based more on theatrical gestures than structural certainties. In short, Trump’s “push and pull” risks damaging everyone. Even the United States.

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