Trump sets 19% tariff on Philippines in new trade deal

Details astir the agreement, which US President Donald Trump announced connected Truth Social, are limited

United States President Donald Trump said helium has reached a commercialized woody with the Philippines, charging it 19 percent tariff complaint for goods it exports to the US, portion US goods volition wage zero tariffs.

The president announced the caller statement connected Tuesday connected his societal media level Truth Social soon aft his gathering with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr astatine the White House.

“We concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States,” Trump said connected his Truth Social level aft welcoming Marcos to the White House.

The 19 percent tariff complaint was conscionable beneath the 20 percent threatened by Trump earlier this month, but supra the 17 percent complaint acceptable successful April erstwhile Trump announced what helium called reciprocal tariff rates for dozens of countries. It matches the 19 percent complaint announced for Indonesia and bests Vietnam’s somewhat higher complaint of 20 percent.

The US had a shortage of astir $5bn with the Philippines past twelvemonth connected bilateral goods commercialized of $23.5bn.

Marcos, the archetypal Southeast Asian person to conscionable Trump successful his 2nd term, told reporters astatine the commencement of the gathering that the US was his country’s “strongest, closest, astir reliable ally”.

Trump said the 2 Pacific allies would besides enactment unneurotic militarily but gave nary details.

Philippine Assistant Foreign Secretary Raquel Solano said past week that commercialized officials person been moving with US counterparts seeking to seal a “mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial” deal.

Protesters gathered adjacent the White House arsenic Marcos arrived, demanding the Philippine person code the pleas of Filipino Americans and migrant workers who person made aggregate requests for enactment amid US migration raids.

Trump underscored the value of the US-Philippine subject relationship, saying, “They’re a precise important federation militarily, and we’ve had immoderate large drills lately.”

Marcos, who arrived successful Washington connected Sunday, met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio connected Monday. During his trip, helium volition besides conscionable US concern leaders investing successful the Philippines. Philippine officials accidental Marcos planned to accent that Manila indispensable go economically stronger if it is to service arsenic a genuinely robust spouse to the US successful the Asia Pacific region.

Looming unit connected China

During the Oval Office event, Trump said helium whitethorn sojourn China for a landmark travel “in the not-too-distant future” and noted the Philippines had distanced itself from Beijing aft his predetermination past November.

“The state was possibly tilting toward China, but we un-tilted it very, precise quickly,” Trump said.

The US president has sought to little tensions with Beijing successful caller weeks aft pausing a tit-for-tat tariff warfare that has upended planetary commercialized and proviso chains. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said connected Tuesday helium would conscionable with Chinese officials successful Sweden adjacent week.

No remark was instantly disposable from Marcos, who did not talk to reporters earlier leaving the White House grounds.