Trump's sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries take effect; Myanmar and Laos among the worst hit at 40%

People walk past fresh produce at a street market in Yangon on August 4, 2025.  Myanmar was hit with a 40% tariff on imports by the United States. - Photo: Sai Aung MAIN / AFP

WASHINGTON (dpa): US President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports from around 70 countries and the European Union went into force on Thursday, including a whopping 50% on Brazilian imports, 39% on Switzerland and 35% on Canada.

In a Truth Social post shortly before they went into effect, Trump wrote: "BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, LARGELY FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR MANY YEARS, LAUGHING ALL THE WAY, WILL START FLOWING INTO THE USA."