Donald Trump Plans to Abandon Tariff Talks

Washington will inform 150 countries of updated tariff rates with the US by post within the coming weeks, Donald Trump announced on Friday. 

It is no longer feasible to meet individually with every country seeking a trade agreement, he explained. On April 02, dubbed by the US president as "Liberation Day", the White House imposed a baseline 10% tariff on all imported goods and additional surcharges on countries such as China, Mexico and Canada citing trade imbalances. 

Trump indicated at the time that the White House would negotiate individual deals with all its trade partners in the following weeks, but he has now suggested that the administration will set terms unilaterally. He mentioned a timeline of “over the next two to three weeks”.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick would be responsible for sending out letters detailing the new tariff rates that will apply to each country, Trump said. The new rates “would be very fair, but we’ll be telling people what they’ll be paying to do business in the United States”. 

Major US retailers such as Walmart and Target have said they plan to raise prices in response to the rising cost of imports. Trump has dismissed the concerns, claiming any price hikes will be small and that businesses will adapt by shifting their supply chains. 

The White House has not yet disclosed the content of the letters or the exact rates that will be applied. It is also unclear whether countries will be given a timeline or conditions under which the rates could change.

World No. 4 Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan secured their fourth World Tour title following an emphatic win at the Thailand Open in Bangkok today. 

The top seeds overcame South Korea's Jeong Na Eun-Lee Yeon Woo 21-16, 21-17 in the Super 500 women's doubles final in 57 minutes. 

The title adds up to their early wins at the Swiss Open (2021), French Open (2022) and the Hong Kong Open (2024).

Good job, Pearly-Thinaah!