Trump says new US tariffs will affect 'all countries'

WASHINGTON, March 31. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has promised that his new tariffs that will take effect on April 2 will affect "all countries."

When asked whether the tariffs would be limited to a short list of 10-15 countries with which the US has the most pronounced trade imbalance, he replied: "You'd start with all countries, so let's see what happens. I haven't heard a rumor about 15 countries."

"Essentially all of the countries that we're talking about. We've been talking about all countries, not a cutoff," Trump added.

Trump claimed that the US tariffs would be much more lenient than the tariffs previously imposed by other countries on US exports.

"The tariffs will be far more generous than those countries were to us, meaning they will be kinder than those countries were to the United States of America over the decades," Trump said answering a question about whether he was considering introducing higher tariffs.

"They ripped us off like no country has ever been ripped off in history and we're going to be much nicer than they were to us. But it's substantial money for the country nevertheless," he said.

Earlier, the US President announced plans to introduce tit-for-tat tariffs on imported goods starting on April 2. According to him, Brazil, India, Canada, China, Mexico and EU countries, on average, levy much higher tariffs on the United States than the United States levies on them.

On February 10, Trump ordered the introduction of 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. The decision went into effect on March 12. On February 11, Trump said Washington was considering imposing a 200% tariff on imports of alcoholic beverages from the EU, including wine, if the bloc does not cancel tariffs on American whiskey. The EU announced the restrictions in response to American tariffs on aluminum and steel from Europe.

On March 26, Trump said the United States would impose import duties of 25% on all cars made outside the country. This would be on top of the previous 2.5% tariff already in place, meaning the new tariff rate would be 27.5%.