Washington: As anticipation builds over US President Donald Trump's so-called "Liberation Day" tariff announcement, the White House has confirmed there will be no exemptions in the new wave of reciprocal tariffs. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt made it clear that these tariffs are aimed at putting an end to what the administration calls decades of "unfair trade practices" against American exporters. President Trump has declared April 2 as "Liberation Day" — a symbolic move that is expected to redefine America's global trade stance. On this day, he plans to unveil a set of tariffs that will directly mirror the tariff structures imposed by other countries on American goods. These reciprocal tariffs are intended to counter foreign trade policies that have long placed US industries at a competitive disadvantage.
 

Leavitt emphasized that the President is committed to enforcing these tariffs, which may include country-specific and sector-specific measures. "The goal of Wednesday is a country-based tariff, but certainly sectoral tariffs. The President has said he's committed to implementing them, and I would leave it to him when he makes that announcement," she said. She underscored the administration’s principle of reciprocity, stating, "It's time for reciprocity." Holding a sheet of paper detailing tariffs that other countries currently impose on American products, Leavitt listed some staggering figures. The European Union imposes a 50 percent tariff on American dairy, Japan has a 700 percent tariff on US rice, India levies a 100 percent tariff on American agricultural items, and Canada imposes nearly 300 percent tariffs on US butter and cheese. "This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be imported into these markets," she said. "It puts a lot of Americans out of business and out of work over the past several decades."
 

Trade Discrepancies and Push for Change

The Trump administration contends that these trade disparities harm American workers and local industries, prompting a firm response. While countries argue that their high tariffs are in place to protect sensitive domestic sectors, the White House sees them as deliberate barriers to US exports. These new tariffs are designed not just to match those imposed by others but to compensate for non-tariff barriers such as stringent import regulations and discriminatory standards. On the same day, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) released its annual National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers — a comprehensive 397-page document cataloging the range of tariffs and non-tariff measures that US exports face worldwide. This report outlines a broad range of restrictions, including agricultural import bans, high value-added taxes (VATs), and regulatory delays for US products.
 

USTR Jamieson Greer lauded Trump’s stance, noting, "No American President in modern history has recognized the wide-ranging and harmful foreign trade barriers American exporters face more than President Trump." He added that under Trump’s leadership, the administration is working "diligently to address these unfair and non-reciprocal practices." Some of the barriers highlighted in the report are highly technical in nature, such as the European Union’s new requirement for a minimum amount of post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging. The report warns that this could act as an "unjustified barrier to US exports." The EU's delays in approving genetically modified crops and bans on certain pesticide residues in agricultural imports are also flagged as trade obstacles. Canada’s "supply management" system again came under scrutiny. This includes restrictive quotas and steep out-of-quota tariffs — 245 percent on cheese and 298 percent on butter — that severely limit American dairy imports. The report also pointed to the implementation of VATs in countries like Argentina, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, saying these tax structures act as hidden costs for American products.
 

While it remains unclear how the detailed trade barriers outlined in the USTR report will directly influence Trump's tariff rollout, the administration appears determined to push forward. According to Leavitt, the upcoming tariffs aim to level the playing field and ensure fair treatment for American goods in the global marketplace. "The President is going to bring historic change," Leavitt declared. "Unfortunately, these countries have been ripping off our country for far too long. And they've made their disdain, I think, for the American worker quite clear."
 

Trump’s trade policy has always been rooted in a vision of America First, and the upcoming "Liberation Day" announcement will likely reinforce that mantra. The administration believes that only by confronting the current imbalances head-on can the United States reclaim its fair share in global commerce and protect its domestic industries from further erosion. As the world waits for April 2, trading partners across the globe will be watching closely. Whether these tariffs mark the beginning of a new era in international trade or escalate existing tensions remains to be seen. But for now, the message from the White House is clear: the days of one-sided trade are numbered.