Allied nations that have maintained close relations with the United States are strongly opposing the tariff bomb reignited by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Japan, Canada, and even Brazil have declared 'a fight to the death.' Vietnam has expressed anger, claiming that a provisional agreement to lower the tariff rate with the U.S. had been overturned by a single statement from President Trump. The global trade order appears to be once again shaken by the Trump risk.

The U.S. political media, Politico, highlighted Vietnam as a prime example of the difficulties faced in the current tariff negotiations on the 10th (local time). According to the report, Vietnam is said to have reached a provisional agreement to significantly lower the tariff rate to 11% with the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump is arriving at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, on November 11, 2017, aboard Air Force One. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

However, President Trump intervened at the last minute to nullify this. Politico quoted four unnamed sources familiar with the matter as saying, "While the working negotiation teams of the two countries were reaching consensus on the 11% tariff rate, President Trump disregarded this figure during a phone call with Nguyen Phu Trong, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and unilaterally declared, 'I will impose a 20% tariff.'

President Trump was initially uninvolved in the preliminary or working tariff negotiations. The Vietnamese side is unable to hide their dismay at having to bear tariffs almost double what was expected. Contrary to earlier reports, Politico cited sources stating that the new tariff agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam has not been finalized and is currently stalled.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is showing a gift received from U.S. President Donald Trump while holding a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on February 7, 2025. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

Other allied nations are also responding strongly. Japanese media such as Asahi Shimbun reported on the 11th that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba voiced discontent regarding President Trump's tariff notification with an unusually strong tone.

On the 9th, during a campaign rally for the House of Councilors election, Prime Minister Ishiba said, "This is a fight for national interest. Can we tolerate being looked down upon?" He emphasized, "Even as allies, we must speak honestly. There are things we must uphold."

Prime Minister Ishiba also explained during an appearance on a broadcast that, "If it is like the U.S. is saying we should listen to them because we are highly dependent on them, that would be problematic," adding, "We need to strive for greater independence from the U.S."

Japanese media analyzed that Prime Minister Ishiba's intent is to emphasize that he is negotiating properly with the U.S., given the difficult circumstances ahead of the upcoming House of Councilors election on the 20th.

The newly notified tariff rate for Japan by the U.S. is 25%. This is an increase of 1 percentage point from the 24% notified in April. Among the 14 countries that had their tariff deadlines extended, Japan and Malaysia are the only countries where the U.S. has raised the tariff rate.

Iitsunori Onodera, Head of the Political Affairs Council, said during a party meeting held on the 8th, "Notifying someone with a single letter is an extremely disrespectful act towards an ally, and I feel strong anger."

Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump are arriving to take a family photo at the G7 summit held at Kananaskis Country Golf Course in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on June 16, 2025. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

Canada, which shares a border with the U.S., has expressed particularly strong outrage. CTV News reported on the 10th that the Canadian government will respond resolutely to the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

President Trump announced that he will impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada starting from the 1st of next month. He especially warned of a 50% tariff on copper imports. According to data from 2023, the U.S. is the largest importer of copper from Canada, accounting for over half of Canada's total copper exports at 52%.

President Trump cited the failure of Canada to prevent the influx of fentanyl as the justification for imposing unprecedented tariffs of over 35% on an ally. However, a report from the Manhattan Institute showed that only 1% of fentanyl pills seized in the U.S. entered through the Canadian border.

On the 10th, protesters are setting fire to the image of U.S. President Donald Trump in São Paulo, protesting against the announcement of a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

Brazil expressed strong discontent over the 50% tariff rate communicated directly by the president. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, upon receiving the public letter regarding tariffs, told reporters, "It is very wrong and irresponsible for a foreign president to threaten on social media. Trump needs to understand that the world has changed. We do not want an emperor... We are a sovereign nation and do not tolerate external interference or lectures."

Experts have warned that such unilateral tariff measures will ultimately boomerang back to the U.S. economy.

Deborah Elms, the head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation, stated, "ASEAN member countries that worked to develop a negotiation package with the Trump administration received treatment nearly identical to those that did not," pointing out that negotiations appeared futile. If the notion that negotiations are meaningless gains traction globally, major countries may not seriously engage in negotiations with the U.S.

The New York Times analyzed on the 10th, "Ultimately, the true cost of the tariffs will fall most heavily on U.S. companies and consumers purchasing foreign products."

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