US tariffs to take effect on Aug 1

In April Trump unveiled a base tariff rate of 10% on most countries and additional duties ranging up to 50%, although he later delayed the effective date for all but 10% until July 9. The new date offers countries a three-week reprieve.

Trump, whose remarks to reporters on Sunday came just before his return to Washington from a weekend golfing in New Jersey, had flagged the August 1 date earlier, but it was unclear if all tariffs would increase then.

U.S. President Donald Trump at an event in Iowa on July 3, 2025. Photo by AP

Asked to clarify, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters the higher tariffs would take effect on Aug. 1, but Trump was "setting the rates and the deals right now."

In a posting on his Truth Social website, Trump later said the U.S. would start delivering tariff letters from 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNN's "State of the Union" that several big trade agreements would be announced in the next days, adding that European Union talks had made good progress.

Trump would also send letters to 100 smaller countries with which the United States does not have much trade, notifying them of higher tariff rates, he added.

"President Trump's going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that if you don't move things along, then on August 1 you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level," Bessent said.

"So I think we're going to see a lot of deals very quickly."

Kevin Hassett, who heads the White House National Economic Council, told CBS's "Face the Nation" program there might be wiggle room for countries engaged in earnest negotiations.

"There are deadlines, and there are things that are close, and so maybe things will push back past the deadline," Hassett said, adding that Trump would decide.