A tumultuous week for global trade saw established rules pushed to the brink by President Trump’s tariff actions and abrupt policy reversals, shaking markets and alarming America’s trading partners.
After announcing sweeping tariffs on April 2, the Trump administration implemented its “reciprocal tariff” system on April 9. The policy applied a 10% global baseline, but imposed higher rates — up to 46% — on 64 countries, with China facing a 104% levy.