The definitions announced by US President Donald Trump were presented about dozens of countries on Wednesday (2) as “mutual”, which are compatible with what other countries impose on the dollar for each dollar from the United States, even taking into account non -fire barriers, such as value -added taxes and other similar measures.
But the real account used by the Trump administration is not at all mutual.
Comparing the dollar prices in dollars is a very difficult task that includes analyzing the tariff schedule for each country and comparing the scope of complex products, each of which has a different rate for each variable.
Instead, the Trump administration used a very simple account: the country’s trade deficit divided into the United States divided into half. And that.
International analyst for CNNLaral Santana, presented to Ww Wednesday the possibility. The Trump administration confirmed on Thursday (3) that this is the account it used.
For example, the US trade deficit with China in 2024 amounted to $ 295.4 billion, and the United States imported $ 439.9 billion of Chinese products.
This means that the trade surplus in China with the United States was 67 % of the value of its exports – a value described by the Trump government as “a tariff charged with the United States.”
But this is not like that.
“Although these new introductory measures have been framing as” mutual tariff “, politics is actually a surplus goal,” Mike Uruk, the chief marketing strategy in Jones Trade, said in a statement to investors on Wednesday.
“It seems that there are any prices used in the average account. The Trump administration is specifically aimed at countries that have significant trade surpluses with the United States compared to its exports to the United States,” he added.
The simple account used by the Trump administration may have extensive impacts on the countries on which the United States relies to obtain products – and for the global companies it provides.
“Knowing how to calculate these rates indicate that they are usually more severe in the countries on which American companies depend vigorously in their supply chain.” “It is difficult to imagine how these definitions will not cause harm to the profit margins for major multinational companies.”
