US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on 31 July modifying reciprocal tariff rates for a range of trading partners, according to an official White House statement released late on Thursday.
The statement was issued just hours before the midnight deadline Trump had set earlier in July, when he paused country-based tariffs for a second time to allow more time for negotiations.
The White House also published a new list detailing specific tariff rates for imports from countries that have yet to finalise updated trade frameworks.
Any countries not appearing in the revised list will be subject to a default 10 per cent tariff, as outlined in the White House Fact Sheet.
The newly adjusted reciprocal tariffs will range from 10 per cent to 41 per cent and are scheduled to come into effect on 7 August.
Among the affected nations, Malaysia will see a reduction in its tariff rate to 19 per cent, down from the previous 25 per cent.
Levies on Singaporean goods exported to the US are expected to remain at the baseline 10 per cent rate.
Myanmar and Laos have each been assigned a higher tariff rate of 40 per cent. According to the White House, both countries did not conclude new trade deals with the US before the August deadline.
In contrast, Cambodia and Thailand both secured reductions in their tariff rates to 19 per cent from the previously threatened 36 per cent.
This reduction follows an agreement between Cambodia and Thailand to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to resolve a border dispute.
Trump had previously warned that trade negotiations would be halted if the conflict continued.
The Philippines and Indonesia will continue to face tariffs of 19 per cent, which were agreed under earlier trade arrangements.
Vietnamese goods exported to the US will remain subject to a 20 per cent duty, as previously settled.
Syria has been assigned the highest tariff rate among the listed countries at 41 per cent.
“The president has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to modify the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries,” the White House said in its official fact sheet released on 31 July.
According to the same statement, the White House contends that imposing tariffs on countries with non-reciprocal trade practices will encourage domestic manufacturing and help protect American industries.
A senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Bloomberg, revealed that countries had been categorised into three groups.
These groups include a 10 per cent tariff for countries with which the US maintains a trade surplus in goods, approximately 15 per cent for those with which the US has reached agreements or maintains a modest trade deficit, and higher rates for countries that did not conclude deals and with which the US runs significant trade deficits.
Trade data shows that the US goods trade surplus with Singapore stood at US$2.8 billion (S$3.6 billion) in 2024.
This surplus suggests Singaporean exports will continue to be subject to the 10 per cent baseline duty.
Meanwhile, negotiations between the US and China remain unresolved.
On 29 July, US and Chinese officials agreed to explore an extension of their existing 90-day tariff truce, which is set to expire on 12 August.
However, Trump has not formally confirmed whether the extension will be implemented.
Trump also signed an additional executive order on 31 July raising tariffs on Canadian goods from 25 per cent to 35 per cent.
The White House cited Canada’s “continued inaction and retaliation” as the main reasons for this increase, stating it was necessary to address an “existing emergency”.
Gan Kim Yong: US remains non-committal on tariff flexibility
The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by Singapore to clarify its trade position with the US.
Speaking at the “Global-City Singapore: SG60 and Beyond” conference on 29 July, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong provided an update following his official visit to Washington from 20 to 26 July.
Gan stated that during his meetings with US officials, Washington remained “non-committal” about whether Singapore’s 10 per cent tariff rate might change.
“They are not in the mood to discuss any discount to the baseline tariff,” Gan remarked during his address.
Nonetheless, Singapore has expressed its interest in continuing discussions that could eventually lead to a review or possible reduction of the tariff rate.
Sectoral discussions on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors remain pending
While in Washington, Gan held meetings with senior US figures, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Their discussions centred on preserving the longstanding economic relationship between Singapore and the US and exploring future cooperation in sectors such as the digital economy.
However, Gan did not meet US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick during the trip, meaning detailed sectoral discussions on pharmaceuticals were postponed.
Singapore has previously expressed its intention to negotiate for zero tariffs on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors through separate agreements once reciprocal tariff talks conclude.
“I think the administration’s focus now is to finish the negotiation on reciprocal tariffs,” Gan said.
“After that, they will start to engage countries on specific sectoral tariffs on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.”
Gan noted that Singapore remains committed to exploring openings for further engagement when opportunities arise.
The newly announced reciprocal tariffs will officially take effect on 7 August, as confirmed by the White House Fact Sheet.
The post Trump modifies tariff rates for certain countries; Singapore exports likely to stay at 10% appeared first on The Online Citizen.
