U.S. Reciprocal Tariffs Implementation Faces Delays Beyond April Timeline

Washington: U.S. officials are privately indicating that the implementation of full "reciprocal" tariffs will take longer than President Donald Trump's previously set April timeline, creating a bottleneck at relevant government agencies.According to Yonhap News Agency, the Wall Street Journal reported that officials suggest the full action on these tariffs could take up to six months or more. This delay comes despite President Trump's reaffirmation of the April 2 date for imposing duties to match those levied by other countries on American goods.An announcement is expected on April 2; however, the Wall Street Journal highlights that the time frame is insufficient for a comprehensive analysis of tariffs and non-trade barriers imposed by all countries.The Trump administration plans to customize these reciprocal tariffs based on various factors, including trading partners' duties, non-tariff barriers, exchange rate policies, and other elements such as "unfair, discriminatory or extraterritorial" taxes, including a value-added tax.Since assuming office last month, Trump has announced several tariff-related measures. These include a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, potential tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, and duties on automobiles, chips, and pharmaceuticals.President Trump views tariffs as a strategic policy tool aimed at reducing America's trade deficits, promoting domestic manufacturing, and achieving various policy goals, including controlling the inflow of unauthorized migrants and drugs like fentanyl.