Trump rejigs tariff rates ahead of deadline, levies 40% duties on all transshipped goods
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Trump Imposes New Tariffs Up to 41% on Dozens of Countries
Above: Shipping containers at the port in Keelung on Aug. 1, 2025. Image copyright: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump's tariff blitz is forcing decades of trade freeloaders to finally pay their fair share while generating billions in government revenue. By wielding America's economic leverage strategically, he's securing reciprocal deals that reopen cheap Asian markets, attract massive foreign investment, and restore manufacturing competitiveness, all while maintaining price stability and market confidence.
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump's tariffs masquerade as economic nationalism while quietly robbing Americans of choice and affordability. They disproportionately punish working families, forcing them to buy inferior products at higher prices while reducing market competition. What appears as strength is actually a hidden transfer of wealth from ordinary consumers to protected industries — economic populism turned inside-out.