The Trump administration's aggressive global tariff regime against imported goods from some of its closest allies has drawn strong reactions across the board.

The European Union is preparing countermeasures to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 20% tariffs on imports from the bloc, which it called a “major blow to the world economy.” The EU is a major US trading partner.

In a background call before Trump's speech, a senior White House official told reporters that the president would impose a "baseline" tariff on all imports to the US. That rate is set at 10% and will go into effect on 5 April.

The sweeping tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday target not only economic superpowers but also financial minnows. In fact, a White House list notes some territories with no economy,

Donald Trump has been mocked by his critics after his sweeping global tariffs even included islands where no one lives. The Trump administration's list of places to be hit by the tough "reciprocal" measure s include the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands in the sub- Antarctic Indian Ocean.