Trump's Comprehensive Tariffs Exclude Energy Goods

BlockBeats News, April 3rd, a Reuters columnist pointed out that in Trump's announced comprehensive new import tariffs, what almost no one noticed is that energy commodities were excluded.

The White House said on Wednesday that a 10% baseline tariff on all U.S. imports (higher tariffs apply to many key trading partners) will not apply to crude oil, natural gas, and refined oil products. The intention behind exempting energy imports from tariffs is clear, aiming to limit the extent of price pain that Americans would feel from the tariffs, and is also in line with Trump's broader goal of maintaining low energy prices.

However, this move has also intensified the dilemma that other countries face in how to deal with Trump's disruption of the global trade system. When responding to U.S. tariffs, one of the best negotiation chips for many countries is the energy they buy from the U.S. or could potentially buy from the U.S. (FX168)