Trump to send tariff warning letters to 12 countries ahead of July 9 trade deadline

President Trump announced on July 5 that he has signed letters to 12 countries, informing them of new US tariff rates, in a decisive escalation ahead of the self-imposed July 9 deadline.

Packaged as a non-negotiable “take it or leave it” offer, the tariffs are expected to range from 10% to 70%, covering various goods.

These letters will be dispatched on July 7 with tariffs scheduled to take effect August 1, coinciding with the expiry of a 90-day.

This pause had followed Trump’s initial imposition of a 10% base tariff in April—an announcement dubbed “Liberation Day”—which included additional rates of up to 50% on specific imports.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump indicated the letter-based approach is "much easier" than prolonged negotiations. He didn’t name the 12 countries, noting they will be disclosed when the letters are distributed.

So far, only the UK and Vietnam have reached preliminary agreements: the UK secured tariff relief for sectors like autos and aerospace at a 10% rate, while Vietnam accepted 20% tariffs on domestically produced goods and 40% on re-exported items.

No deals are confirmed yet with EU, Japan, or India, increasing the likelihood of high unilateral tariffs if talks stall.