The United States government is set to send official notifications to its trade partners starting today (July 4, 2025), informing them of the new tariffs that will take effect on August 1, 2025. Former President Donald Trump announced that approximately ’10 or 12′ letters would be sent out on Friday, with additional notifications arriving in the coming days. Trump added, “I think by the ninth [of July], it’ll be fully covered,” referring to the original deadline he set for countries to negotiate deals and avoid higher import tariffs.
“They’ll range maybe from tariffs of 60 or 70 percent down to tariffs of 10 and 20 percent,” Trump said, indicating a wider range than previously outlined when he first announced the so-called ‘Independence Day’ tariff plan earlier in April. At that time, the proposed rates ranged from a base rate of 10% on most economies to a maximum of 50%.
Trump did not specify which countries would be affected or whether certain goods would face higher rates than others. However, he confirmed that payments would begin on August 1, 2025, stating, “The money will start coming into the United States on August 1.”
The former president has long warned that if countries fail to reach agreements with the U.S. before the upcoming deadline, they would simply face higher tariffs, raising the stakes for trade partners rushing to secure favorable terms.
He initially announced these so-called ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on April 2 but suspended them for 90 days to allow time for negotiations, implementing a temporary 10% rate during that period. So far, the Trump administration has announced deals with the United Kingdom and Vietnam and reached a truce with China, where both sides agreed to ease pricing tariffs.
When asked if more agreements were imminent, Trump replied, “We have some other deals, but you know, my tendency is to just send a letter and tell them what tariffs they’re going to pay. It’s much easier.”
Trump announced the agreement with Vietnam on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, stating the U.S. would impose a 20% tariff on Vietnamese exports to the U.S. and 40% on goods deemed to be transshipped through the country—a reference to the practice where parts from China and possibly other nations are routed through third countries en route to the U.S.
However, many key trade partners, including Japan, South Korea, and the European Union, are still working toward finalizing agreements. The president expressed optimism about reaching a deal with India but criticized Japan as a difficult negotiating partner, saying this week that Japan should be forced to “pay 30%, 35%, or whatever number we decide.”
On Tuesday, Trump also stated he was not considering delaying next week’s deadline. When asked about a potential extension of negotiations, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Beeson said earlier Thursday that the final decision would rest with the president. “We’ll do whatever the president wants, and he’ll be the one to determine whether they’re negotiating in good faith,” Beeson told CNBC.