President Donald Trump will send tariff letters to the leaders of 12 additional countries, expanding his latest trade offensive, the White House confirmed Thursday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the notifications will mirror the letters already sent to Japan and South Korea, which announced new 25 percent tariffs on exports to the United States. Trump plans to create “tailor-made trade plans for each and every country on this planet,” she said.
In addition, Trump will sign an executive order formally delaying his reciprocal tariff deadline from July 9 to August 1 to give foreign governments time to negotiate.
“There will be additional letters in the coming days,” Leavitt said. When asked why Japan and South Korea were the first targets, she replied, “It’s the president’s prerogative.”
Leavitt added that while negotiations are ongoing, the administration remains focused on delivering the best possible trade deals for American workers.
