The Trump administration is set to unveil the latest stage of its aggressive trade policy on Thursday, the White House has confirmed, amid reports that President Donald Trump is preparing a fresh wave of sweeping tariffs. The announcement comes as a previous 10% tariff regime on much of the world is due to expire on Friday.
Background and Supreme Court Ruling
Trump's tariff policy suffered a significant setback in February when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled many of the earlier tariffs illegal. In response, the administration replaced those with a 10% tariff on a broad range of imports, but that measure is set to lapse at the end of the week.
White House Press Secretary Statement
Asked about Trump's plan on Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would announce next steps later in the day. "I don't want to get ahead of him, so I would just tell you to stay tuned for more details," Leavitt added.
Economic Impact and Criticism
Trump and his officials have claimed that his controversial trade agenda will revitalize U.S. industrial heartlands and boost jobs. However, critics warn that sweeping tariffs risk increasing prices nationwide. U.S. inflation surged to a three-year high earlier this year. During a heated exchange before U.S. senators on Wednesday, Greer appeared to deny that Trump's policies had driven prices higher. Asked by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren if the tariffs had increased prices for American families, Greer replied, "No." He added, "Core inflation fell to 2.6% year on year, much better than in January 2025." Core inflation excludes food and energy. Overall inflation remains slightly higher than when Joe Biden left office.
