The Trump administration is preparing to impose tariffs exceeding 10 percent on imports from smaller nations across Africa and the Caribbean, marking a significant escalation in U.S. trade protectionism that could severely impact developing economies.
President Donald Trump confirmed plans to apply blanket tariffs to approximately 200 countries, describing the measure as establishing “reciprocal” trade treatment. The policy shift particularly threatens African nations, with Lesotho potentially facing tariffs as high as 50 percent on exports to the United States.
“We’ll probably set one tariff for all of them,” Trump stated when questioned about affected nations, signaling a one-size-fits-all approach to smaller trading partners. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick supported the initiative, confirming the administration’s intent to handle Caribbean and African countries through unified tariff structures.
The World Trade Organization has responded with urgent calls for reconsideration. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala specifically requested exemptions for African countries, warning that such measures could devastate developing economies and reverse years of economic progress built through preferential trade agreements.
Currently, implementation remains on hold during a three-month consultation period, providing affected nations and international bodies a narrow window to negotiate alternatives. Trade experts warn that these tariffs could disproportionately harm vulnerable economies heavily dependent on U.S. market access for their exports.
The move represents a fundamental shift away from decades of U.S. trade policy that provided preferential treatment to developing nations. As consultations proceed, both affected countries and international organizations are intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent what many view as potentially catastrophic economic consequences for the world’s smallest economies.