The United States may maintain a 10% tariff for the long term.

On Sunday, May 11, U.S. Commerce Secretary Routnick stated that the baseline 10% tariff imposed by the U.S. on foreign imports “may be in place for the foreseeable future.” This statement echoed President Trump's recent remarks, further reinforcing the signal that U.S. trade policy is tending towards a long-term framework.

Routnick explicitly noted, “We do indeed anticipate implementing a 10% baseline tariff for the foreseeable future.” He emphasized that this policy aligns with current American trade interests and denied claims that the cost of tariffs would ultimately fall on American consumers. He asserted that businesses and exporting countries would be the ones footing the bill.

However, actual data indicate that businesses have already begun attempts to pass on the additional costs to consumers. After Trump's announcement of increased tariffs on April 2, consumer confidence indices rapidly declined, with signs of rising prices for various household goods. Despite this, Routnick maintained that American products remain unaffected by tariffs, which will put foreign goods at a disadvantage, forcing them to "compete" in the U.S. market.

A few days earlier, Trump stated at the White House that the 10% tariff rate “might be the minimum for trade agreements,” warning that tariffs for countries with large trade surpluses could be “far above 10%.” Trump also mentioned that while there was progress in the U.S.-U.K. trade agreement last week, the 10% baseline tariff still applies to most British goods and described this rate as “quite low.”

Furthermore, Trump added, “Tariffs for certain countries will be much higher due to severe trade imbalances with the U.S.”

In this context, although there have been breakthroughs in the U.S.-U.K. agreement, the overall tough tone of U.S. trade policy has not relaxed, potentially posing continued challenges for other countries in negotiating space with the U.S. in the future.

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