Trump Stands Firm: No Extensions on August 1 Tariff Deadline
President Trump made it clear Tuesday that there will be no delays to the looming August 1 tariff deadline, doubling down just a day after suggesting some flexibility.
“TARIFFS WILL START BEING PAID ON AUGUST 1, 2025,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referencing formal notices sent to dozens of countries this week. He added, “There has been no change to this date, and there will be no change… No extensions will be granted.”
The announcement came after Trump signed an executive order Monday setting August 1 as the new start date for the long-anticipated “reciprocal” tariffs. Originally slated to take effect this week after a 90-day delay, the tariffs target countries that Trump argues unfairly tax U.S. goods.
Despite his firm tone on Tuesday, Trump had signaled some wiggle room just 24 hours earlier. “I would say firm, but not 100 percent firm,” he told reporters. “If they call up and say, ‘We’d like to do something a different way,’ we’re going to be open to that.”
The administration is now moving forward with a slate of tariffs that include a 25% duty on imports from Japan and South Korea—two of America’s biggest trading partners. Additional tariffs will hit goods from Indonesia (32%), Bangladesh (35%), South Africa (30%), Malaysia (25%), and others starting next month, with more announcements expected in the coming days.
These new duties are part of Trump’s broader push to enforce “reciprocal” trade policies, where the U.S. matches tariffs imposed by other nations. They are distinct from other sector-specific tariffs already in place on steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
Trump has long promised aggressive trade enforcement and has used tariff threats frequently throughout his presidency. Still, the rollout and scope of these tariffs have shifted multiple times, often depending on diplomatic talks and negotiations.
But this time, Trump insisted, there would be no last-minute changes: “All money will be due and payable starting AUGUST 1, 2025.”
