For nearly seven months, Trump has passed since the beginning of 2025, the issue of customs duties and the imposition of new rates of America on its trading partners, one of the controversial global economy issues.
Trump’s affected decisions were satisfied with the “danger of commercial protection” and the need for a “new global economic system”, while Trump’s performance has not changed, and he went on to implement his decisions.
Some of them expected that the events, with the damages they represent to the global trade system, or the trading partners of America, will pay an entity that represents the affected people to confront Trump, and to force him to retreat from his decisions, but what happened, is that some of them cried on the World Trade Organization, which the events showed the fragility of its role, in resolving disputes, or obliging America to the organization’s agreements.
Others also bet on the Brex Assembly, to have a role, especially since its senior members are affected by Trump’s decisions, led by China, whose economy is the largest economy of BRICS, as well as India and Brazil.
After Trump ended through his administration, reaching agreements with the European Union, Japan and other countries and reaching a truce with China in preparation for a final agreement in the coming months, as well as the continuation of negotiations with India, Mexico and Canada, it makes us ask questions to explain this reality imposed by Trump, to reflect the strength of the position and influence of America.
Does reaching these agreements concluded, and the other that is expected to be completed in a few months, reflects the power of America’s influence and its continuation in its ascending the top of the map of economic powers, by extending its power and influence over its commercial partners, even on China?
Or does the matter come within a tactical framework of the partners, to pass the Trump period with the least possible losses, as an exceptional period in the American administration, and then reconsider these agreements under a new American administration?
The question of the question
At a time when negotiations were limited to customs duties, we found the results of the negotiations announced in the media, including another package of facilities in favor of America.
In the case of the European Union, the Union announced its commitment to purchasing power materials from America at 750 billion dollars, in addition to pumping 600 billion dollars as investments there, as well as Brussels opened its markets to American products without customs.
In the Japan agreement, Tokyo accepted a customs rate of up to 15%, with America providing an investment package in the form of loans and government guarantees of about 550 billion dollars.
An agreement was also reached with Britain, according to the reduction of customs duties on British exports to America, in order to continue the stability of the US industry supply chains.
There are other offers from poor countries, keen to continue their trade with America, for example Bangladesh, which is considered one of the most important exporters of clothing to the American market. Bangladesh has announced its willingness to buy 25 US -made Boeing aircraft, in exchange for reducing customs on its exports to America.
Manifestations of influence
The US President’s behavior in the case of customs duties with commercial partners individually, hitting the World Trade Organization agreements, but rather it can be said that Trump’s actions are a death certificate for the World Trade Organization.
The Trade Organization had no role in the issue of the customs duties that Trump blew up, and even the negotiations that took place in a bilateral framework, in which the Trade Organization was not summoned.
Even outside the framework of the World Trade Organization, America did not act with its partners, in any way of collective negotiation, but rather separately in each country.
One of the aspects of American influence is that it is Washington who set the ceiling of negotiations and its interlocutors, and it has to be negotiated with it, enters concessions, accepts conditions, tries to reduce its severity, or provides alternatives to customs duties in the form of investments.
The signing of these agreements, or the promise to accomplish the remainder within a short period, was a state of pride in Trump, who told the media, that they have returns from customs fees, studying the disposal in two fields, the first to issue checks of recovery for the benefit of limited income, or pay part of the American debt.
Finally, numbers related to customs duties returned during the period from October 2024 – June 2025, when they were estimated at about 113 billion dollars, and there are expectations that the customs outcome of America will reach the end of 2025 to about 300 billion dollars, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
However, the matter requires a total view of Trump’s policies on the macroeconomic economy in America, in light of the continued high rates of inflation at 2.7%, which prevented the US Federal Council to reduce the interest rate, which is a issue of disagreement and noble for Trump, with the Federal Council.
The performance of America’s trade during the Trump era
- The published US official data shows that the total commodity trade for America in May 2025 amounted to 459.5 billion dollars, and that the trade deficit amounted to 93.5 billion dollars.
- Regarding the 15 main partners, the value of their trade exchange with America in the same month amounted to 337.8 billion dollars, and a surplus in favor of the partners worth $ 87 billion.
- These partners account for 73.5% of the total foreign trade of America.
There are details related to the performance of some countries separately with America during the period from January – May 2025, including:
- Mexico has the largest trade exchange with America by about 359.5 billion dollars, and a surplus for Mexico with about 79.4 billion dollars.
- Then Canada, with a commercial exchange value with America by about 311.4 billion dollars, and a trade surplus for Canada with a value of $ 25.6 billion.
- In the third place, China, with a commercial exchange value during the same period by about 195 billion dollars, and a trade surplus in favor of China, with a value of $ 101.9 billion.
It is noted that although China is ranked third in terms of the value of trade with America during the January -May 2025, it has the largest trade surplus with America, among the 15 main partners.
Japan, the value of its trade with America during the period reached 96.5 billion dollars, a surplus in favor of Japan 29.2 billion dollars, then Britain, whose trade with America reached 69.2 billion dollars, and surpluses in favor of Britain 12.7 billion dollars.
Tactics of the commercial partners of America
Trump First State 2017-2020, in which he made many decisions concerning international organizations, or internal economic reality, then Biden came to reconsider all the decisions made during the Trump era, and America returned to the global environment again.
This historical experience encourages Trump’s policies and decisions to end the end of his mandate, in 2028, especially since some agreements include large sums regarding investment obligations.
The tactic scenario from the affected may help in Trump’s affected American businessmen to change these policies after his departure.
Also, Trump, unless he takes accelerating steps to implement the policy of “replacing imports”, will lose the confidence of the American voter, given his policy on raising customs duties from continued inflation rates high.
However, what contributes to excluding this scenario is that those affected by Trump’s policies outside America did not meet on an inclusive order to confront it, and therefore some exclude a hypothesis, that there are serious districts over the birth of a new global economic system.