Countries are racing against the clock to negotiate Trump's tariffs.

247 - Just days before a new wave of trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump takes effect, countries around the world are intensifying efforts to negotiate with Washington. According to information published by the Financial Times and reported by... Folha de S. PaulThe Republican's tariff offensive triggered a diplomatic race between allies and trade rivals, who seek to preserve access to the American market by offering strategic concessions.

The tariffs, announced in an executive order signed by Trump, will come into effect in two phases: a basic tariff of 10% will take effect this Saturday (5) and, from April 9, specific and “reciprocal” increases will hit around 60 countries with significant trade surpluses with the US — some will suffer surcharges of up to 50%.

European Union offers concessions, but rejects regulatory pressure. The European Union, which accumulated a trade surplus of US$235,6 billion with the US in 2024, is among those trying to mitigate the damage caused by the measure. Brussels has proposed reducing its tariff on cars from 10% to the same 2,5% applied by Washington, in addition to increasing purchases of American products such as energy and armaments. Even so, the Europeans rule out accepting impositions in the regulatory and sanitary fields.

"The accusations that our VAT system discriminates against American companies are unfounded," say European authorities, who also reject giving up food standards to accept, for example, US chicken treated with chlorine. Maros Sefcovic, head of trade for the European bloc, held virtual meetings with representatives of the US government this Friday (4).

Japan and Israel anticipated the measures — but did not escape the tariffs. Some countries tried to anticipate Trump's decision with concrete actions. Israel eliminated all tariffs on US products the day before the announcement, but was hit with a 17% tariff. Japan, in turn, promised to buy more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US and invest in infrastructure, in addition to signaling that it would increase defense spending favoring American companies. Even so, it was penalized with a 24% tariff.

The failure of these initiatives has left Japanese authorities questioning the effectiveness of further concessions. "It's unclear what Japan or Japanese companies could still offer to change the US stance," local representatives noted.

South Korea tries to save its industrial sector. South Korea, with a $55 billion trade surplus with the U.S. in 2024, is also among Trump's targets. The country faces criticism for tariffs on content providers like Netflix, opaque pharmaceutical policies, and barriers to American agricultural products. Analysts suggest Seoul will increase its purchases of U.S. weapons and LNG as a strategy.

South Korean interim president Han Duck-soo declared that his government will make "every effort" to protect domestic companies from the 26% tariff imposed by Washington.

Southeast Asia and India face high surcharges - Vietnam was particularly hard hit, with a 46% tariff, despite having authorized tests of Starlink — a company owned by Elon Musk, a Trump ally — and expressed willingness to expand imports of US products, such as aircraft and agricultural goods.

India also sought to preempt the situation, offering concessions on various products and opening negotiations for a trade agreement. Even so, it was surprised by a 27% tariff this week. Narendra Modi's government, however, insists it intends to conclude an agreement with the US "in the coming days."

Latin America receives lenient treatment. Brazil and Argentina got the minimum tariff of 10%. Javier Milei, the Argentine president, celebrated the result on his X account (formerly Twitter): “friends will be friends,” he wrote, in reference to the Queen song. Milei and his foreign minister Gerardo Werthein were in Mar-a-Lago this Friday (4), where the Argentine president participated in a conservative event and reinforced ties with the Trump administration.

Milei even stated that he will "change Argentine legislation" to adapt to Washington's demands and guarantee a preferential trade relationship.

South Africa is betting on a bilateral agreement. South Africa, hit by a 31% tariff, exports mainly strategic minerals to the US, such as platinum. President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the measure "reinforces the urgency of a new bilateral and mutually beneficial agreement."

Donald MacKay, a South African international trade consultant, assessed that "small economies need to avoid confrontations with Trump." According to him, tariffs on minerals, for example, "would severely affect the revenues of mines and local workers."

Global race for Trump - Eric Trump, the son of the US president, himself encouraged countries to act quickly. "I wouldn't want to be the last country trying to negotiate a trade deal with Donald Trump," he wrote on social media.

The current scenario is reminiscent of Trump's first presidency, marked by tariff confrontations and tough negotiations. Now, with the Republican in his second term starting in 2025, allies are trying to anticipate the "tariff first, negotiation later" logic—before the commercial and political consequences become irreversible.