On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping new trade policy under the banner of his “Liberation Day” initiative, marking a dramatic shift in the United States’ approach to global trade. Delivered in a bold and combative speech from the White House Rose Garden, the policy seeks to assert American economic power and correct what Trump claims are decades of unfair trade practices. The centerpiece of this new policy is the imposition of reciprocal tariffs, which could have far-reaching consequences for nations like Bangladesh, China, and the European Union.

The core of Trump’s new trade policy is reciprocity-if a foreign nation imposes high tariffs or trade barriers on US goods, the US will respond with equally burdensome tariffs on imports from those countries. In his address, Trump described April 2 as “a day of economic independence,” positioning the tariff measures as a move to end decades of trade imbalances and protect American workers. According to the president, American businesses and laborers have been “ripped off” by unfair global trade deals, and his plan is intended to rectify these inequities.

The new tariffs, which range from 10 to 50 percent, will be applied on a country-by-country basis, reflecting the trade barriers each nation has imposed on American exports. For example, the European Union faces a 20 percent........

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