President Trump Hikes Tariffs, Imposing 41% Duty on Syria and 10% on Brazil
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – August 1, 2025: President Trump just announced a bunch of new tariffs on 69 countries. Syria’s getting hit hardest with a 41% duty, while Switzerland’s looking at 39%. These tariffs kick in on August 7, right after Trump signed a new order late Thursday. Brazil’s also on the list with a 10% rate, even though Trump talked about hitting them with way more before. This is all part of his America First trade plan, trying to fix what his team sees as unfair trade.
Trade Imbalances = Tariff Targets
Basically, these tariffs are the latest step in Trump’s plan to get fair trade deals. They’re setting a 10% tariff as the default for countries not named specifically. If a country has a big trade gap with the U.S. or isn’t seen as a good ally, they get a higher rate. Laos and Myanmar are at 40%, Iraq and Serbia at 35%, and India at 25%.
Brazil dodged a bullet with the 10% rate, since Trump was talking about 50%. The White House was mad about what they called a witch hunt against their former president, Jair Bolsonaro. But some last-minute talks cooled things down, according to Brazilian officials. Now, they’re still investigating Brazil’s trade stuff.
World Reacts, Economy Worries
This news is already causing a stir. Brazil’s President Lula called the move unfair but said he’s willing to talk trade. Brazil might even fight back. Brazilian exporters are worried that these tariffs, even at 10%, will hurt them badly—one big farming group said exports could drop by half.
Economists are warning this could mess up the world economy. Supply chains could get messed up, and Americans might pay more for stuff. The World Trade Organization is watching closely, and some people think these tariffs might break international trade laws and cause a full-blown trade war.
Syria’s 41% Tariff: More Sanctions?
The super-high 41% tariff on Syria looks like more U.S. sanctions. Even though the Trump team had eased up on some sanctions before and talked a little, this seems like a direct hit to their struggling economy. Syria’s already struggling to rebuild and get back in the game with other countries. This tariff will not help matters.
