President Trump announced on Monday, March 3, that starting from April 2, tariffs will be imposed on “foreign” agricultural products, as part of his latest tariff agenda.
“To the great American farmers: Get ready to start producing a large amount of agricultural products for sale within the United States. On April 2, the United States will impose tariffs on foreign products,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The President did not specify which products will be affected, nor did he reveal if there will be any exceptions or the extent of the tariffs.
Since taking office, Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all imported steel and aluminum products and has indicated that he will impose tariffs on more products. He stated that these actions are aimed at protecting the American industry and promoting American manufacturing.
On February 28, White House trade and manufacturing advisor Peter Navarro wrote an opinion piece in USA Today, explaining President Trump’s decision to reinstate aluminum tariffs on all countries and to cancel exemptions for specific countries.
Navarro pointed out that not only strategic competitors like China and Russia take advantage of exemptions and policy loopholes to flood the U.S. aluminum market, but also countries considered allies pose a significant part of the problem.
He also mentioned that the impact of tariffs is immediate. The largest aluminum producer in the United States, Century Aluminum, has restarted idle production lines, Alcoa has expanded operations, and U.S. aluminum production has surged, reviving a critical industry that underpins national security.
Earlier this week, Navarro stated in an interview with CNBC that any inflationary effects of tariffs would be “secondary, so I don’t think the President will waver in these aspects, because he knows it’s all about achieving a strong and prosperous America, real wage increases, and increased factory employment. This is the path he has chosen.”
He added that similar measures introduced by Trump in his first term did not drive up prices.