World Leaders React to Trump's Tariffs

US President Donald Trump said he would impose a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the United States and higher duties on some of the country's biggest trading partners, drawing defiant responses from leaders and governments around the world.

Trump is not imposing his new 10% global tariff rate on goods from top trading partners Canada and Mexico while his previous order remains in place for up to 25% tariffs on many goods from the two countries over border control and fentanyl trafficking issues, the White House said in a fact sheet.

Here are some reactions from top officials and governments around the world: EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN "President Trump's announcement of universal tariffs on the whole world, including the EU, is a major blow to the world economy.Uncertainty will spiral and trigger the rise of further protectionism. The consequences will be dire for millions of people around the globe.We are already finalizing a first package of countermeasures in response to tariffs on steel. And we are now preparing for further countermeasures, to protect our interests and our businesses if negotiations fail."

CHINA COMMERCE MINISTRY "China firmly opposes this and will take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests.There are no winners in trade wars, and there is no way out for protectionism. China urges the US to immediately lift unilateral tariffs and properly resolve differences with its trading partners through dialogue on an equal footing."

JAPAN PRIME MINISTER SHIGERU ISHIBA "The US government's broad trade restrictions will have a significant impact not only on the economic relationship between Japan and the US, but also on the global economy and the multilateral trading system as a whole.We have serious concerns about the consistency of these measures with the WTO Agreement and the Japan-US Trade Agreement.We will continue to strongly urge the US to review its measures."

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY "(Trump) has preserved a number of important elements of our relationship, the commercial relationship between Canada and the United States. But the fentanyl tariffs still remain in place, as do the tariffs for steel and aluminum.We are going to fight these tariffs with countermeasures, we are going to protect our workers, and we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7."

BRAZILIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY "The Brazilian government regrets the decision made by the North American government today, April 2, to impose additional tariffs of no more than 10% on all Brazilian exports to that country.The Brazilian government is evaluating all possible actions to ensure reciprocity in bilateral trade, including resorting to the World Trade Organization, in defense of legitimate national interests."

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE "The (Trump) administration's tariffs have no basis in logic and they go against the basis of our two nations' partnership. This is not the act of a friend. Today's decision will add to uncertainty in the global economy and it will push up costs for American households."

SOUTH KOREAN ACTING PRESIDENT HAN DUCK-SOO "As the global trade war has become a reality, the government must pour all its capabilities to overcome the trade crisis."

NEW ZEALAND TRADE MINISTER TODD MCCLAY "New Zealand's interests are best served in a world where trade flows freely ... New Zealand's bilateral relationship with the US remains strong. We will be talking with the administration to get more information, and our exporters to better understand the impact this announcement will have."

SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ "Spain will protect its companies and workers and will continue to be committed to an open world."

SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER ULF KRISTERSSON "We don't want growing trade barriers. We don't want a trade war ... We want to find our way back to a path of trade and cooperation together with the US, so that people in our countries can enjoy a better life."

SWISS PRESIDENT KARIN KELLER-SUTTER "(The Federal Council) will quickly determine the next steps. The country's long-term economic interests are paramount. Adherence to international law and free trade remain core values."

IRISH PRIME MINISTER MICHEAL MARTIN "The decision by the US tonight to impose 20% tariffs on imports from across the European Union is deeply regrettable. I strongly believe that tariffs benefit no one. My priority, and that of the government, is to protect Irish jobs and the Irish economy."

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI "We will do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States, with the goal of avoiding a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players."

MANFRED WEBER, PRESIDENT OF THE EPP, LARGEST PARTY IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT "To our American friends, today isn't liberation day - it's resentment day. Donald Trump's tariffs don't defend fair trade; they attack it out of fear and hurt both sides of the Atlantic. Europe stands united, ready to defend its interests, and open to fair, firm talks."

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO "We will only make US imports more expensive if they take away our jobs. But we won't raise tariffs if their goods help create higher-value jobs."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the US may be ready to “move on” from efforts for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is not progress in the coming days.
Speaking in Paris after a marathon day of landmark talks among US, Ukrainian and European officials, Rubio said the discussions had been constructive and produced an outline for steps toward peace, The Associated Press said.
French officials said a new meeting in the same format is expected in London in the coming days. Rubio said he could join that meeting, and it’s expected early in the week.
“We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters upon departure.
After weeks of efforts by the Trump administration to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine have failed to bring an end to the fighting, Rubio said the US administration wants to decide “in a matter of days whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks.”
France hosted high-level talks Thursday to discuss Ukraine and its security, the first time since President Donald Trump’s inauguration that top American, Ukrainian and European officials are known to have met together to discuss an end to the war. The meetings came as European concerns grow about Trump’s readiness to draw closer to Russia.
Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff have helped lead US efforts to seek peace. Several rounds of negotiations have been held in Saudi Arabia. Witkoff has met three times with Putin, Rubio said.
Moscow has effectively refused to accept a comprehensive ceasefire that Trump has pushed and Ukraine has endorsed. Russia has made it conditional on a halt in Ukraine’s mobilization efforts and Western arms supplies, which are demands rejected by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia kept up a series of deadly strikes on Ukrainian cities, according to officials there, wounding scores of civilians days after missiles killed at least 34 during Palm Sunday celebrations in the northern city of Sumy.
One person died and over 60 others were hurt as Russia hit Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, early in the day, Ukraine's Emergency Service reported. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said cluster munitions struck a “densely populated” neighborhood four times.
Russian drones also targeted a bakery in Sumy, less than a week after the deadly Palm Sunday strike there, killing a customer and wounding an employee, the regional prosecutor's office said. Photos released by the agency showed rows of Easter cakes stacked inside a devastated building, covered in thick dust, as a huge hole gaped in the wall behind them and rubble piled up on the floor.
Last Sunday's strike on Sumy, resulting in mass casualties, was the second large-scale missile attack to claim civilian lives in just over a week. Some 20 people, including nine children, died on April 4 as missiles struck Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih.
On Thursday, a Russian drone strike killed three civilians and wounded dozens more in Dnipro, a city in southeastern Ukraine, local authorities said. The attack came as a Ukrainian delegation sought security pledges from European powers during a high-level meeting in Paris that was joined by Rubio and Witkoff.
Regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said one child died and five others were wounded in the Dnipro strike.

World Leaders React to Trump's Tariffs