CNN
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President Donald Trump cranked up the pressure on two of America’s key trading partners, Japan and South Korea, firing off letters Monday to the heads of their countries that informed them of their new tariff rate.
Both countries will face a 25% tariff come August 1, Trump said in posts on Truth Social displaying the letters, potentially giving countries more time to negotiate deals.
In the two nearly identical letters, Trump said he takes particular issue with the trade deficits the United States runs with both countries, meaning America buys more goods from there compared to the amount that American businesses export to those countries. Trump also said the tariffs would be set in response to other policies that he deems are impeding American goods from being sold abroad.
“Please understand that the 25% number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your Country,” Trump says in both letters.
He encouraged both countries to manufacture goods in the United States to avoid tariffs.
“There will be no tariff” if Korea or Japan or “companies within your Country, decide to build or manufacture product within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely-In other words, in a matter of weeks,” he added.
Trump also threatened to raise tariffs higher than 25% if South Korea or Japan retaliated against the United States with tariffs of their own.
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” Trump also said.
Trump has threatened to send more letters out to heads of countries ahead of his looming 12:01 a.m. ET July 9 deadline for countries to make deals or face the threat of higher tariffs. That date marks the end of the pause on “reciprocal” tariffs, which briefly went into place in April.
Japan was set to face a 24% tariff, while South Korea was set to face a 25% tariff.
US stocks, which were already sliding, dropped lower after Trump’s announcement. The Dow was down as much as 530 points, or 1.2%. The S&P 500 fell 0.87% and the Nasdaq fell 0.9%.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
