Postal traffic to the US dropped more than 80% after the Trump administration ended the de minimis tariff exemption for low-cost imports, the United Nations postal agency said Saturday. The AP reports that 88 postal operators have told the UPU they’ve suspended some or all postal services to the US until a solution is implemented with regard to U.S.-bound parcels valued at $800 or less, the previous limit for imported goods to avoid customs charges.
President Trump on Friday signed an executive order exempting gold, tungsten and uranium from global tariffs, Bloomberg reported.
And on Thursday, Trump cemented and signed an executive order implementing the US’s pact with Japan. But despite this, many of Trump’s tariffs remain tied up in legal battles, after courts ruled most of them illegal.
Amid legal questions hanging over tariffs, Trump has also asked the Supreme Court for an immediate hearing in hopes of overturning an appeals court ruling that deemed most of his tariffs illegal.
His administration called for the high court to put the case on a highly expedited schedule, with arguments starting in early November, according to reported filings.
On Wednesday, Trump said the US may have to “unwind” existing trade deals, including with the European Union, Japan, and South Korea, if the Supreme Court doesn’t uphold the tariffs.
“If we don’t win that case, our country is going to suffer so greatly,” Trump told reporters before meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. “These deals are all done. I guess we’d have to unwind them.”
A federal appeals court ruled that most of Trump’s global tariffs were illegal, reaffirming an earlier ruling by the Court of International Trade and saying he exceeded his authority in using emergency powers to impose them. The judges, however, allowed the tariffs to remain in place while the case moves through the appeals process.
That means the “reciprocal” tariffs Trump unveiled on dozens of US trade partners (which you can see in the graphic below) now face legal limbo.
Meanwhile, Trump said he will soon impose tariffs on semiconductor imports but will spare companies like Apple (AAPL), which have promised to increase US investments. Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook “would be in pretty good shape” because of the company’s recent commitments.
Elsewhere, Trump has said he is not considering lowering tariffs on India, a week after the US doubled duties on its imports to 50% in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
When a reporter asked if he might roll back some of the tariffs, Trump replied, “No.”
Trump lamented later in the week that India — along with Russia — appear to be “lost” to “deepest darkest China.” Trump’s comments come as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on bids to strengthen ties with China and Russia as relations with the US have deteriorated.
Read more: What Trump’s tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet
Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world.
LIVE 1820 updates
Sat, September 6, 2025 at 5:29 PM UTC
Postal traffic to US drops more than 80% after Trump eliminates de minimis exemption
The Associated Press reports:
Read more here.
Sat, September 6, 2025 at 3:26 PM UTC
Trump signs executive order exempting gold, tungsten and uranium from global tariffs
Bloomberg reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM UTC
Trump threatens trade probe that could trigger tariffs after EU fines Google
Bloomberg reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM UTC
Trump’s tariffs leave US business tied up in costly red tape
One thing President Trump promised to do was to slash red tape for US businesses, butit seems that pledge may already have been broken due to the US president’s sweeping tariffs, which have created more paperwork for American firms.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM UTC
EU would welcome US backing to quit Russian oil: Energy chief
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 12:32 PM UTC
Lutnick says big trade deals to stay despite ongoing legal battle
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an interview Friday that President Trump’s trade deals will stay in place despite the ongoing legal battles around tariffs currently taking place.
Reuters reports:
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 11:18 AM UTC
Trump says India and Russia appear ‘lost’ to ‘deepest, darkest China’
President Trump unleashed another scathing attack on China Friday and posted that India and Russia appear to be lost to “deepest, darkest, China.”
This latest comment from Trump follows the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Beijing this week where their leaders stood alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump posted: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together! President Donald J. Trump.”
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 9:37 AM UTC
Trump: ‘Fairly substantial’ chips tariffs coming ‘shortly’
President Trump said new tariffs on semiconductor imports are coming soon but noted companies like Apple (AAPL) will be spared due to their US investment pledges.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 8:33 AM UTC
Japan risks higher tariffs if it shuns Trump’s investment picks
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 8:30 AM UTC
Analysis: US tariffs still spell big pain for Japan’s small automakers
President Trump has given some relief to Japanese automakers by cutting high US levies on their vehicle sector, but the reduced tariffs still mean pain for Japan’s smaller car companies.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Fri, September 5, 2025 at 8:14 AM UTC
Japan stocks rise as 15% Trump tariff deal sealed brings relief
Japanese stocks rose after President Trump signed an executive order putting his trade deal with Japan into effect, setting tariffs of upto 15% on most products, including cars.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 8:47 PM UTC
Trump signs executive order implementing trade pact with Japan
President Trump has signed an executive order implementing the US’s trade deal with Japan, the White House said Thursday.
The move cements tariffs of 15% on most imports from Japan.
“Under the Agreement, the United States will apply a baseline 15% tariff on nearly all Japanese imports entering the United States, alongside separate sector-specific treatment for automobiles and automobile parts; aerospace products; generic pharmaceuticals; and natural resources that are not naturally available or produced in the United States,” the order says.
You can read the full order here.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 4:44 PM UTC
US trade deficit widens to largest in 4 months
The US trade deficit widened to its largest amount in four months in July as companies raced to import products in order to front-run President Trump’s latest round of broad-based tariffs.
Bloomberg reports that the goods and services trade gap grew nearly 33% from the prior month to $78.3 billion, Commerce Department data showed Thursday. The value of imported goods increased 5.9% in July, driven by industrial supplies, consumer goods, gold, and capital equipment. Exports also ticked higher during the month.
The swings in trade this year have created volatility in gross domestic product (GDP) readings as well, as frequent policy changes have led some importers to pull forward or pause shipments. Following the release of trade deficit data, Goldman Sachs lowered its third quarter GDP growth forecast to 1.6% from 1.7%.
Read more here from Bloomberg.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 3:45 PM UTC
If Trump’s biggest tariffs get thrown out, companies could get a refund — but not consumers
While companies absorb tariff costs and pass some of them along to consumers, President Trump has been touting the amount of money US tariffs are bringing the government.
But if the Supreme Court upholds a lower court’s ruling that the tariffs are illegal, thereby striking them down, the government could have to refund the taxes it has collected on imported goods. That would mark a huge reversal in Trump’s trade policy — but not one that is likely to land consumers any cash back.
From the AP:
Read more here.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM UTC
India looking beyond US for pharma exports amid tariff tensions
India is seeking to boost drug exports to Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, in an effort to reduce dependence on the US market amid tariff concerns, Reuters reports.
From Reuters:
Read more here.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM UTC
China hits US optical-fiber imports with tariffs
China just made its latest deliberated move in its trade dance with the Trump administration.
Bloomberg reports:
China started imposing levies on additional US optical fiber imports, after a six-month investigation found that American companies had circumvented its anti-dumping measures.
The duties, ranging from 33.3% to 78.2%, took effect Thursday Beijing time on “certain cut-off shifted single-mode optical fiber” from the US, according to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
Among the companies subject to the new duties, Corning Inc. (GLW) now faces a 37.9% levy, OFS Fitel LLC is at 33.3% and Draka Communications Americas Inc. has a 78.2% duty.
The probe was the first anti-circumvention investigation China has ever initiated, the Mofcom said in a separate statement published Thursday.
Read more here.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 10:26 AM UTC
US and Japan said to near deal to put auto tariffs into effect
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Thu, September 4, 2025 at 10:05 AM UTC
Trump asks the Supreme Court to move fast and uphold his tariffs
Bloomberg reports:
Read more here.
Wed, September 3, 2025 at 7:14 PM UTC
Carney sends envoy to DC after ‘constructive’ Trump call
Bloomberg reports on some progress around talks between the US and Canada:
As a reminder, some goods from Canada face 35% US tariffs. But many goods are exempted under the US-Canada-Mexico trade agreement, leading Carney to boast that the effective 5.5% rate is the “lowest average tariff of any country in the world.”
But sectoral duties — and overall certainty — remain a concern:
Read more here.
Wed, September 3, 2025 at 5:11 PM UTC
Trump: US may have to ‘unwind’ trade deals if it loses tariff case
President Trump weighed in on the potential repercussions of the recent legal challenge to his trade policy on Wednesday.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
