Trump’s Unexpected Tariffs on New Zealand Raise Questions
In a surprising political development, President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on New Zealand, contradicting previous assurances from former Ambassador Scott Brown. Brown, who had served as Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during Trump’s first term and is anticipated to run for Senate in New Hampshire, had claimed that New Zealand would be exempt from such tariffs.
On the day following Trump’s victory for a second presidential term, Brown confidently stated in a New Zealand radio interview that New Zealand would not be affected by the tariffs, which Trump had proposed as part of his campaign to establish fairer trade relationships. “They’re not talking about New Zealand,” Brown asserted, emphasizing the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries.
However, Brown’s assurances were proven incorrect when Trump announced tariffs on 125 countries, including a 10% tariff targeting New Zealand. The White House’s justification for these tariffs included a disputed claim that New Zealand imposes a 20% tariff on American goods, a figure that New Zealand officials say is substantially inflated compared to the actual rate of around 1.9%, applicable only to specific items.
Brown, who had reiterated his stance during a March interview and mentioned discussions with interim Ambassador David Gehrenbeck, expressed hope for a future free trade agreement with New Zealand. He highlighted the historically balanced trade relationship, stating, “Listen, $16 billion of trade, that’s relatively even.”
The economic impact of Trump’s tariff announcement was immediate, with the stock market and the U.S. dollar both experiencing downturns, as reported by Bloomberg.
Reacting to the tariffs, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon criticized the move as a “trade war,” warning of negative consequences for American consumers. “There’s about $900 million worth of tariff being leveled at New Zealand exporters, and that will be passed onto US consumers sadly,” Luxon stated, expressing concerns over the broader global economic implications.
Despite requests, Brown’s spokesperson has not offered any comment on the situation.
The post Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong appeared first on American Journal News.
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