President Donald Trump has suspended the country specific reciprocal increases, and currently the all-country reciprocal rates remain at 10 percent. The European Union responded by pausing its own retaliatory countermeasures, signaling a possible cooling of recent trade tensions.
The announcement came during a press conference at Trump National Doral in Florida, where the president framed the freeze as a “strategic reset” to give negotiators time to reach new trade agreements. “America will always fight for fair trade, but we’re taking a step back to see who’s willing to come to the table,” Trump said.
EU Responds with De-escalation
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, the European Commission issued a statement confirming it would also pause its planned counter-tariffs during the US suspension. “We welcome the decision to freeze further tariff hikes and view this as an opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue,” the statement read.
Analysts say the coordinated pause may signal a renewed effort to stabilize global trade relations after months of rising protectionism and economic uncertainty.
China Targeted with Increased Duties
While many countries were granted temporary relief, China was notably excluded. The Trump-aligned coalition announced that duties on select Chinese imports—including steel, semiconductors, and electric vehicles—would rise sharply to 125%, effective immediately.
“China continues to distort global markets,” Trump said. “We’re not going to let that stand.” Beijing has yet to issue an official response, but early reports suggest retaliatory measures may be in the works.
What’s Next? Trade experts caution that while a suspension is a welcome development, it remains uncertain whether lasting agreements will follow. The next round of international trade talks is scheduled to begin later this month in Geneva, where diplomats hope to build on the momentum and address underlying disputes. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.