‘India will be dropping tariffs very substantially’: Trump on the eve of ‘liberation day’

Speaking from the Oval Office, Donald Trump reiterated his stance that the US has been 'unfairly targeted' by global trade policies and claimed his strategy was yielding results.

The Trump administration has appealed Bredar's earlier decision, claiming the firings were lawful and the judge lacked the power to require workers to be reinstated. (AP/ PTI Photo)

With just one day left for the Donald Trump administration’s tit-for-tat tariff to kick in, the US President announced on Tuesday that India is set to “substantially” reduce its tariffs, along with other US allies, ahead of the April 2 deadline for reciprocal tariffs, which he referred to as “Liberation Day” in the US.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump reiterated his stance that the US has been “unfairly targeted” by global trade policies and claimed his strategy was yielding results.

“I think I heard that India just a little while ago is going to be dropping its tariffs very substantially and I said why didn’t somebody do this a long time ago,” he said.

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He also dismissed concerns that his policies could push US allies closer to China and pointed to the European Union’s recent reduction of car tariffs to 2.5 per cent as proof of success.

“No, I’m not worried about it. I think they have a chance of doing better actually with the tariffs. It can actually help them in a certain way and I think a lot of them will drop their tariffs because they’ve been unfairly tariffing the United States for years,” he said.

Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused several nations of imposing restrictive trade policies that harm American businesses. “India currently imposes 100 per cent tariffs on American agricultural products. The European Union charges 50 per cent on American dairy, Japan levies 700 per cent on American rice, and Canada imposes nearly 300 per cent on American butter and cheese,” Leavitt said, adding that these barriers make it “virtually impossible” for American products to compete in foreign markets.

“It’s time for reciprocity. The president is making historic changes to protect American industries and workers,” she added.

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Also read | Trump’s promised ‘liberation day’ tariffs: What could happen on April 2?

Leavitt also confirmed that the full cabinet will be present for unveiling a new tariff plan, but specifics of the plan remain uncertain as Trump and his administration have floated multiple, sometimes conflicting, proposals in recent weeks.

“Wednesday, it will be Liberation Day in America, as President Trump has so proudly dubbed it,” Leavitt said. “The President will be announcing a tariff plan that will roll back the unfair trade practices that have been ripping off our country for decades. He’s doing this in the best interest of the American worker.”