Spanish
Washington- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed on Sunday that the United States will maintain a minimum 10% tariff on imports for the foreseeable future, signaling the Trump administration’s commitment to its recently toughened trade stance.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Lutnick stated, “We will not go below 10%. We’ll handle things on a country-by-country basis. We’re going to be flexible and extremely smart with each nation.” His comments follow former President Donald Trump’s move last month to impose baseline tariffs on nearly all foreign trade partners.
While Trump previously hinted at possible exceptions, he emphasized during a White House briefing on Friday that a 10% floor would remain in place. “There’s always going to be a baseline,” Trump said. “There could be an exception—maybe someone does something exceptional for us. It’s possible.”
The first major trade agreement under this new policy framework was announced last week between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. According to the White House, the U.S. will continue to enforce the 10% minimum but will allow up to 100,000 UK-manufactured vehicles to bypass the 25% auto tariff annually. In exchange, the UK agreed to reduce its 19% ethanol tariff on U.S. imports to zero and lift duties on British-made aerospace parts, including Rolls-Royce engines.
Additionally, the two countries have agreed to match the U.S.’s 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. However, the UK’s government issued a separate statement claiming Prime Minister Keir Starmer had successfully negotiated the steel and aluminum tariffs down to zero, raising questions about the application of the 10% baseline in those sectors.
Meanwhile, the Trump team is pursuing what the former president has called a “total reset” in trade relations with China. Over the weekend, top officials from both countries met in Switzerland, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
“It’s extremely important for both countries,” said Lutnick, adding that discussions are ongoing and progress is being made. Trump echoed that optimism in a social media post on Saturday, writing, “GREAT PROGRESS MADE.”
Lutnick did not elaborate on the details of the China negotiations but firmly denied that the tariffs are driving up consumer prices in the U.S.
