US President Donald Trump has written to the leaders of more than a dozen countries, threatening them with punishing new tariffs but giving them extra time to negotiate deals with the US.
Many of the new tariffs are similar to the so-called "liberation day" rates the US president announced on April 2, before he paused them three days later.
The first round of new rates, outlined in letters posted to Mr Trump's Truth Social platform, includes:
- Laos: 40 per cent (down from 48 per cent announced on April 2)
- Myanmar: 40 per cent (was 44 per cent)
- Cambodia: 36 per cent (was 49 per cent)
- Thailand: 36 per cent (unchanged)
- Bangladesh: 35 per cent (was 37 per cent)
- Serbia: 35 per cent (was 36 per cent)
- Indonesia: 32 per cent (unchanged)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: 30 per cent (was 36 per cent)
- South Africa: 30 per cent (unchanged)
- Tunisia: 25 per cent (was 28 per cent)
- Kazakhstan: 25 per cent (was 27 per cent)
- Japan: 25 per cent (was 24 per cent)
- Malaysia: 25 per cent (was 24 per cent)
- South Korea: 25 per cent (unchanged)
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Mr Trump would reveal more countries' rates, and publish the letters sent to their leaders, in coming days.
In the first letters, published on Monday (US time), Mr Trump told Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung that the 25 per cent tariffs would be for all goods and separate from sector-specific tariffs.
"Please understand that the 25% number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your Country," Mr Trump wrote in both letters.
Similar wording appeared in subsequent letters.
Mr Trump said the new tariffs would take effect from August 1, but said the arrangements could change.
"If you wish to reopen your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States, and eliminate your Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter," he wrote.
"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."
US shares fell in response to the president's latest tariff manoeuvres.
Only UK and Vietnam have struck deals
Australia is subject to a 10 per cent "baseline" tariff, which is the minimum rate imposed on all US trading partners and which was not paused.
The pause on the higher "reciprocal" tariffs was due to come to an end on Wednesday, but the Trump administration said on the weekend it had been extended to August 1.
"The president's phone, I can tell you, rings off the hook from world leaders all the time, who are begging him to come to a deal," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.
"And this administration is working hard to ensure those deals are in the best interest of the American people, and this delay, again, is in the best interest of the American people."
The pause was to allow for new trade deals to be negotiated, but so far only the United Kingdom and Vietnam have struck new agreements.
South Korea was one of the first nations to publicly respond to the letter, pledging to "step up negotiations during the remaining period to reach a mutually beneficial result to quickly resolve the uncertainties from tariffs".
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said his government would continue negotiations with the US to seek a bilateral trade deal.
"We have received a proposal from the United States to swiftly proceed with negotiations towards the newly set August 1 deadline, and that depending on Japan's response, the content of the letter could be revised," he said.
While Tokyo and Washington have failed to reach an agreement so far, some progress has been made in talks that helped Japan avert a hike in US tariffs to around 35 per cent as suggested recently by Mr Trump, Mr Ishiba told a meeting with cabinet ministers to discuss the tariffs.
Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said he wanted a "better deal" than the 36 per cent tariff Mr Trump threatened.
"The most important thing is that we maintain good relations with the US ... once we reassess the situation, I hope we can secure a better deal," he said.
Malaysia's trade ministry said it would continue discussions with the US in "good faith to address outstanding issues".
At the weekend, key US officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said agreements with several countries were close to being finalised, without saying which ones.
Mr Bessent told US media on Monday that negotiations remained ongoing.
"We've had a lot of people change their tune in terms of negotiations. So my mailbox was full last night with a lot of new offers, a lot of new proposals," Mr Bessent told CNBC.
"It's going to be a busy couple of days."
Trump's threat to developing nations' bloc
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had a "good exchange" with Mr Trump on Sunday and the EU still aimed to reach a new tariff deal before the original July 9 deadline, a commission spokesperson said.
It emerged last week that Mr Trump had threatened a 17 per cent levy on EU food and agricultural exports.
He also put members of the BRICS group of developing nations in his sights as its leaders met in Brazil, threatening an additional 10 per cent tariff on any countries aligning themselves with "the anti-American policies of BRICS".
The BRICS group comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with recent joiners Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Last year, it also added 10 new "partner countries": Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
In a declaration after the BRICS annual summit concluded in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, the group condemned America's tariffs and its attacks on Iran, though it did not name Mr Trump.
It also criticised Israel's military actions in the Middle East.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said it was "irresponsible" for the US president to use social media to threaten other countries with tariffs, adding that other nations had the right to reciprocate.
ABC/wires
