“These customs duties are virtually definitive,” stated representative Jamieson Greer in a pre-recorded interview broadcast today by CBS.
When asked about potential negotiations to reduce the customs surcharges, Jamieson Greer said they are unlikely to occur “in the coming days.”
Donald Trump signed the decree on Thursday that sets the new customs duty rates, which will affect several dozen countries, ranging from 10% to 41%.
The new import tariffs will come into effect for most countries on August 7, allowing customs services to organize for collection.
The products from the European Union, Japan, and South Korea will be taxed at 15%, those from the United Kingdom at 10%. Indonesia will face a 19% rate, while Vietnam and Taiwan will suffer surcharges of 20%.
“We can clearly see the outline of the president’s trade project through these tariffs,” remarked the Trade representative.
The customs duties also serve as a political pressure tool for Donald Trump, and Brazil, accused of putting former president Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right ally, on trial, will see its products subject to a 50% rate upon entering the United States.
“The president observed in Brazil, as in other countries, a misuse of the law, a misuse of democracy,” emphasized Greer, considering it “legitimate to use these instruments for geopolitical reasons.”
The Brazilian Supreme Court judge in charge of Jair Bolsonaro’s case stated on Friday that the Brazilian judiciary will not yield to “threats” from the Trump administration.
The U.S. president “was elected to assess the situation of the United States’ foreign affairs and take appropriate measures,” Jamieson Greer further stated.
