Trump Announces 90-Day Pause On Reciprocal Tariffs, Excludes China
United States President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for most countries, with a notable exception – China, which will instead face a steep tariff increase to 125%, according to a statement posted on his Truth Social account.
Trump justified the move by citing China’s ongoing trade practices, stating, “At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”
The tariff escalation is part of an ongoing trade war between the world’s two largest economies. In response to Trump’s announcement, China retaliated with an 84% tariff on American imports, up sharply from 34%, hours after the U.S. raised duties on Chinese goods to 104%—a hike that officially took effect just after midnight on April 9.
The latest salvo follows Beijing’s refusal to roll back its earlier 34% tariffs on U.S. goods, which had been imposed in response to a similar move from Washington.
In his post, Trump noted that over 75 countries have reached out to U.S. officials to engage in trade talks. Citing their willingness to negotiate and their decision not to retaliate, he said, “I have authorized a 90-day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately.”
However, the 10% tariff will remain in place for countries previously subject to reciprocal levies, excluding Canada and Mexico, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He commended Trump’s stance, stating, “Trump had great courage to stay the course until this moment.”
Bessent emphasized that the pause signals a willingness to negotiate, but reaffirmed that countries previously affected by the tariffs will continue to face the 10% duty unless further agreements are reached.
