Frenzied Rollout Marks Trump Tariff Push That Put World on Edge

Charts displaying information on reciprocal tariffs in the White House press briefing room on April 2.Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

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By Jennifer A Dlouhy and Josh Wingrove

April 3, 2025 at 11:28 PM UTC

Updated on

April 4, 2025 at 2:35 AM UTC

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President Donald Trump’s trade salvo was years in the making. The details came down to the final moments.

Hours before Trump announced his signature tariff plan, aides were still rushing to hone key elements, including its size and scope as well as how to sell it to the American public and communicate some of its chief objectives.