ALBAWABA- US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing reciprocal tariffs on foreign imports, vowing to reclaim America’s economic dominance.
“Today, it's our turn to prosper. We’ll make trillions of dollars and restore America to its former glory,” Trump declared.
Blaming other nations for "plundering" American wealth and industries, Trump announced that tariffs would be placed on foreign-made automobiles, electronics, and other goods to level the playing field.
“Those days are over,” he said, arguing that unfair trade practices have "decimated" US manufacturing.
Effective at midnight, a 25% tariff will be imposed on all foreign-made cars, Trump revealed. He criticized countries like Japan, South Korea, and EU nations for restricting American exports while benefiting from low US tariffs.
“They won’t take our beef, our rice, or even our poultry,” he said, accusing them of using both monetary and non-monetary barriers to block US products.
Trump cited a US Trade Representative report, calling it “frankly upsetting,” and described the trade deficit as a “national emergency” that threatens America's security and way of life.
He claimed that China’s shipbuilding industry outpaces the entire US shipyard output annually and warned that America’s reliance on foreign goods, from electronics to antibiotics, is unsustainable.
Concluding his speech, Trump declared, “It’s Liberation Day—we’ve waited long enough,” promising that US jobs and local manufacturing would "come roaring back." The executive order on reciprocal tariffs is set to take effect immediately.
Meanwhile, Democrats have pledged to fiercely oppose President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, denouncing them as a reckless and chaotic trade war.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Republicans to support a measure blocking tariffs on Canadian goods, warning of severe economic consequences.
“They’re nothing more than a tax hike on the American people,” Schumer said at a press conference just hours before Trump’s tariff announcement.
He pointed to market turmoil, declining consumer confidence, and increased recession risks, arguing that the tariffs threaten jobs and financial stability.
“We’re going to fight these tariffs tooth and nail,” Schumer declared. “Trump has made a lot of bad decisions—this is among the worst.”
