More Hurdles Ahead... Trump Says "Semiconductors and Pharmaceuticals May Face Higher Tariffs Than Cars"

On Tariff Lawsuit: "The Supreme Court is Excellent and Fair"
"There Are Very Large Companies Seeking to Acquire TikTok's U.S. Operations"

On September 16 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump stated that higher tariffs could be imposed on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals than the 25% currently applied to automobiles.

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Before departing the White House for a state visit to the United Kingdom, President Trump spoke to reporters and addressed the recent reduction of automobile tariffs for certain countries, saying, "I have not made any compromises," and made these remarks.

Previously, the United States lowered automobile tariffs from 25% to 15% as part of trade agreements with Japan, the European Union (EU), and South Korea. Among these, only Japan has seen the 15% reduction take effect. There have been complaints from some quarters that this could harm the U.S. automotive industry.

President Trump referenced his initial imposition of the 25% tariff on automobiles, stating, "They paid no tariffs for years, but now they are paying 15%," and explained, "Because the profit margins on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals are higher, even higher tariffs could be imposed."

He had previously mentioned the possibility of imposing tariffs of up to 100% on semiconductors and 150% to 250% on pharmaceuticals.

Additionally, President Trump claimed, "The EU is paying $950 billion and Japan is paying $650 billion in tariffs to the United States," adding, "These are companies and countries that did not pay a single cent before I took office."

Regarding the ongoing tariff lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court, President Trump said, "All the legal experts say we have won, but we have to wait and see," adding, "I believe the Supreme Court has been excellent and very fair." He continued, "If we win, the United States will become the wealthiest country in the world, we will be able to reduce Americans' debt, and we can help not only the United States but also other countries."

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing the lawsuit after lower courts ruled that reciprocal tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were illegal. At present, six out of the nine Supreme Court justices are conservative, leading to speculation that the decision may favor President Trump.

Furthermore, President Trump reaffirmed that an agreement had been reached regarding the sale of TikTok during the high-level U.S.-China trade negotiations.

He stated, "We have reached an agreement with China, and on Friday (the 19th), I plan to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping to finalize everything," adding that "there are some very large companies seeking to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations."

President Trump will be making a three-day state visit to the United Kingdom starting today. This marks his second state visit during his first term, making him the first U.S. president to make two state visits to the U.K. During this trip, President Trump is scheduled to meet King Charles III and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.