Trump Team Explored Simplified Plan for Reciprocal Tariffs

Trump administration officials are roiled in debate over how to implement the president's pledge to equalize U.S. tariffs with those charged by other nations, with aides scrambling to meet the president's self-imposed deadline of April 2 to debut a plan.

- Gavin Bade, Josh Dawsey & Vipal Monga

Officials have recently weighed whether to simplify the complex task of devising new tariff rates for hundreds of U.S. trading partners by instead sorting nations into one of three tariff tiers, according to people close to the policy discussions, who emphasized that the situation remains fluid and could evolve in the coming weeks. The proposal was later ruled out, said an administration official close to the talks, adding that Trump's team is still trying to sort how to implement an individualized rate for each nation.

"Many plans have been discussed and when the president is ready to announce a plan the American people will hear from him directly," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Trump has repeatedly said reciprocal tariffs would mean "what they charge us, we charge them." That would be a gargantuan task, leaving officials to customize tariff rates for hundreds of countries and territories that the U.S. trades with around the world. The plan to match levies with other nations would come on top of his other tariff threats, such as 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada for fentanyl trafficking, and certain sector-based duties such as on steel and aluminum imports.