U.S. President Donald Trump still intends for new reciprocal tariff rates to take effect on April 2, the White House said on Tuesday, despite earlier comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that indicated a possible delay in their activation.
"The intent is to enact tariffs on April 2," the White House official said when asked to clarify Bessent's comments that countries would get an opportunity to avoid higher tariffs by reducing their own trade barriers.
"Unless the tariff and nontariff barriers are equalized, or the U.S. has higher tariffs, the tariffs will go into effect," the official said.
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