The United States is set to launch a bold new trade strategy targeting foreign markets that impose tariffs on American products, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealing plans for bilateral negotiations after establishing a “baseline of fairness.”
Quick Takes
- Secretary Rubio announced the US will impose reciprocal tariffs on major trading partners before engaging in new bilateral trade talks
- The tariff strategy aims to revitalize domestic manufacturing and create leverage for more equitable trade agreements
- Rubio emphasized the approach is global in scope, not targeting specific countries or regions
- The administration views current trade relationships as unsustainable and requiring a complete reset
America First Trade Reset
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has outlined the new U.S. trade strategy centered on imposing reciprocal tariffs against nations that have historically benefited from unfair trade practices at America’s expense. The policy represents a fundamental shift away from decades of trade agreements that many conservatives have long criticized as detrimental to American workers and manufacturing. Rubio stressed that the administration plans to establish a new baseline of fairness in global trade before entering any new negotiations with foreign trading partners.
The administration previously imposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico before quickly removing them and President Trump recently threatened to implement 200% tariffs on European wines, cognacs, and other alcohol imports. These measures come in direct response to what the administration views as unfair treatment of American products abroad.
The goal the President has made very clear is he wants to reset the baseline of international trade, which he believes – and I agree – is unfair to the United States. — Secretary of State Marco Rubio pic.twitter.com/tef8jscSgr
— Jonathan Htet (@jonathan_htet) March 18, 2025
Rebuilding American Manufacturing
A central goal of the new tariff policy is rebuilding America’s industrial base after decades of decline. The administration plans to use tariffs strategically to encourage domestic production in critical industries that have been outsourced overseas. This approach represents a decisive break from previous administrations that prioritized cheaper consumer goods through free trade agreements, often at the expense of American manufacturing jobs and capabilities. The policy aims to address long-standing concerns about American industrial decline.
“This is global. It’s not against Canada, it’s not against Mexico, it’s not against the EU, it’s everybody,” Rubio declared.
Critics of the administration’s approach, including many foreign governments and some domestic business interests, have already announced retaliatory measures. Canada and European nations have implemented their own counter-tariffs on American goods. However, Rubio remains steadfast that the current trade situation is unsustainable and requires a reset to achieve genuine reciprocity in international commerce. This position resonates with many American workers who have seen their industries diminished by foreign competition.
New Trade Deals on American Terms
Rubio outlined the administration’s two-phase approach to reshaping America’s trade relationships. First, implement tariffs to reset the baseline and create leverage. Second, engage in bilateral negotiations with individual countries to establish new, more equitable trade agreements. This represents a shift from multilateral trade pacts like NAFTA toward country-specific deals that can be tailored to American interests. The secretary declined to provide specific details about potential new agreements, emphasizing instead the need to first establish a fair starting point.
The administration’s approach reflects President Trump’s longstanding views on international trade, dating back to his first term when he renegotiated NAFTA into the USMCA agreement. Secretary Rubio’s statements confirm that the second Trump administration intends to apply similar pressure across all major trading relationships to secure more favorable terms for American products and producers. For many supporters, this represents a welcome shift toward prioritizing American economic interests after decades of policies they view as excessively favorable to foreign competitors.
“We don’t like the status quo. We are going to set a new status quo, and then we can negotiate something, if they (other nations) want to,” Rubio said. “What we have now cannot continue.”
