Trump announces a ’90-day pause’ on tariffs outside of China

President Donald Trump’s tariffs have only been in effect since midnight ET, and hours later he’s already announced “a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff” of 10 percent for countries that haven’t retaliated against the tariffs he created.

However, Trump also said in his post on Truth Social that he will be increasing the rate for China — which has placed tariffs on US goods in the past days — to 125 percent.

After Trump’s post, the New York Times reports White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the tariff level would be brought down to a universal 10 percent, a significant drop for many countries that produce large amounts of US-bought goods, like Vietnam.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick tweeted that “(Treasury Secretary)Scott Bessent and I sat with the President while he wrote one of the most extraordinary Truth posts of his Presidency. The world is ready to work with President Trump to fix global trade, and China has chosen the opposite direction.” Meanwhile, Bessent spoke to reporters at the White House, claiming the now-delayed tariffs were about getting “negotiating leverage” for Trump instead of capitulation, with rewards (in the form of still-higher tariffs) for countries that didn’t retaliate.

As noted by the Times, shortly after Bessent claimed the reversal was Trump’s plan all along, the president spoke to reporters at the White House and said himself that the pause was due to the reactions. In his words, “I thought people were… getting yippie.”

Donald Trump:

Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable. Conversely, and based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs, and that these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!