Vehicles drive previous cargo delivery containers on the Evergreen delivery terminal on the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California on September 13, 2025. The US Supreme Court docket dominated on February 20 that Donald Trump exceeded his authority in imposing a swath of tariffs that upended international commerce, blocking a key instrument the president has wielded to impose his financial agenda. Photograph: AFP
The USA tariff price for some nations will rise to fifteen% or larger from the newly imposed 10%, US Commerce Consultant Jamieson Greer mentioned on Wednesday, with out naming any particular buying and selling companions or giving additional particulars.
Greer instructed Fox Enterprise Community‘s ‘Mornings with Maria’ programme that the Trump administration doesn’t intend to boost tariffs on Chinese language items above present ranges as President Donald Trump plans to journey to China in coming weeks.
“Proper now, now we have the ten% tariff. It will go as much as 15 for some after which it could go larger for others, and I feel it will likely be according to the kinds of tariffs we have been seeing,” Greer mentioned.
Talking in a while Bloomberg TV, Greer mentioned the White Home was making ready a proclamation to boost the non permanent tariffs to fifteen% “the place acceptable”. He added that it will “accommodate” nations which have commerce offers however didn’t present particulars.
He mentioned that the administration needed to make it possible for it pursues correct authorized processes for the rise, including: “any time we placed on a tariff, we’ll have international pursuits who need to convey it down. So individuals are going to sue us.”
New tariffs appropriate with current commerce offers
Greer instructed Fox Enterprise the administration’s plan to switch emergency tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court docket with new duties, together with non permanent tariffs below Part 122 of the Commerce Act of 1974, which took impact on Tuesday at a ten% price, had been appropriate with current commerce offers.
He mentioned investigations into unfair commerce practices below Part 301 of that very same legislation could be the centerpiece of the alternative effort, focusing on nations that constructed extra industrial capability, used compelled labuor in provide chains, discriminated towards US expertise companies, or subsidised rice, seafood and different items.
Greer mentioned that he and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had repeatedly raised the difficulty of extra industrial capability with Chinese language officers, including that unprofitable Chinese language companies had been allowed to remain open and proceed producing with authorities help.
“I do not assume they will resolve that downside absolutely, and that is a part of why we have to have tariffs on China and Vietnam and different nations which have this downside,” he mentioned.
Requested whether or not the administration was prepared to impose steep new tariffs on Chinese language items that might upset a fragile commerce truce, Greer mentioned: “We do not intend to escalate past” charges which can be at the moment in place. “We intend to essentially persist with the deal that now we have with them.”
Greer additionally mentioned Part 301 investigations might function an enforcement mechanism for commerce agreements the administration had struck in latest months, together with a cope with Indonesia, which agreed to accept a 19% US tariff and open its markets to US items.
He mentioned USTR would open a Part 301 investigation into Indonesia’s commerce practices to look at industrial capability and fisheries subsidies, and the findings could be in contrast with steps Indonesia was taking to handle US considerations and its commitments below the deal.
“After which we’ll make a dedication on what sort of tariff ought to apply. We anticipate to have continuity in what we’re doing with commerce offers,” he mentioned.
Greer additionally instructed Fox Enterprise {that a} almost century-old commerce legislation, Part 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, was “nonetheless good legislation” and may very well be helpful in sure circumstances the place nations discriminated towards US commerce relative to different nations. The statute permits for tariffs of as much as 50% on imports from particular nations.
However he mentioned the first focus was on country-focused Part 301 probes and strategic industry-focused Part 232 nationwide safety probes, the place tariffs had confirmed “very sturdy”.
“They’ve stood as much as authorized scrutiny prior to now and they’re going to once more now,” Greer mentioned.
