“Reciprocal Time”: 100% tariffs for US-owned India before April 2nd deadline | World News
New York/Washington: The White House said India imposes 100% tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, and high taxes collected by other countries make it “nearly impossible” to export U.S. products to those countries. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the high tariffs on American goods by India and other countries. He plans to propose a series of reciprocity tariffs on April 2, which he said will be a “liberation day” for the United States.
“Unfortunately, these countries have deprived our country of too long, and I think they are clear about the despise of American workers,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday. “If you look at unfair trade practices – we have 700% tariffs on American dairy products from 50% of the American dairy products. You have 100% tariffs on American rice, 100% tariffs on American agricultural products, and Canada has nearly 300% tariffs on American butter and cheese.
“This makes it almost impossible for American products to be imported into these markets, and in the past few decades, many Americans have gone bankrupt and worked,” she said. When she listed the high tariffs many countries imposed on many countries, Leavitt raised a chart showing the tariffs alleged by India, Japan and others. On the chart, two circles with tri-color colors highlight the tariffs on India.
“So it’s time for reciprocity, and now it’s time for the president to make historic changes and do what suits the American people, which will take place on Wednesday,” she said. Earlier this month, Trump had said the current tariffs are “temporary” and “small” but will essentially be “main” tariffs of reciprocity and will start on April 2, and they will be “big game changers that change our country.”
Leavitt did not clarify the details of the appearance of the tariffs and which countries will be affected. “I will have the president announce this on Wednesday, but surely will ensure there is reciprocity and the American people are treated fairly,” she said. The press secretary stressed that Trump has a “excellent team of trade advisers” including U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, White House aide Peter Peter Navarro, National Economic Commission Director Kevin Hassett and Vice President of Policy and Family Security Advisor Kevin Hassett and Vice President of Policy and Family Security Advisors.
She added that Vice President JD Vance has “deeply introduced” the conversations. “All of these people have proposed plans to the president on how to do this work, and it’s a decision made by the president and we won’t be ahead of him in the details of the announcement,” Leavitt added.
