Soothing the market? Reports indicate that Trump's tariffs on April 2 will be more "targeted," avoiding "blanket tariffs."

Has Trump's tariff threat softened? Reports suggest that the reciprocal tariff policy on April 2 may retain some "flexibility."

According to media reports, Trump stated last Friday in the Oval Office:

"Many people come to me to talk about tariffs, many people ask me if they can get exemptions, but once you open the door for one person, you have to open it for everyone."

"I will not change. But the word flexibility is very important. Sometimes it is flexible. So there will be flexibility, but basically it is reciprocal."

Trump also referred to April 2 as America's "Liberation Day":

"April 2 will become America's Liberation Day. We have been taken advantage of by every country in the world, whether friend or foe."

An insider revealed to the media that these tariffs will not be imposed on all countries globally, but rather targeted at what Trump considers trade "abusers," including the European Union, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and others.

This move by Trump may be aimed at alleviating market concerns. According to CCTV News, the Trump administration has rolled out a series of tariff policies since taking office, and concerns about a "Trump recession" have significantly weighed down the U.S. stock market.

Since Trump took office as President of the United States on January 20, as of the market close on March 19, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by 3.50%, the S&P 500 by 5.36%, and the Nasdaq by 9.57%. Meanwhile, the stock prices of the massive "Big Tech Seven" have also plummeted recently. U.S. media reported on March 14 that in the past three weeks, the market value of the "Big Tech Seven" has evaporated by $2.7 trillion.

"15% of Countries" Become Main Targets

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin hinted last week in an interview with Fox Business that 15% of countries are the main targets of the tariff policy:

"This accounts for 15% of countries, but it represents a large portion of our trade volume."

Trump's National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett also attempted to calm market concerns, stating:

"The market expects huge tariffs to be imposed on every country... The market needs to change their expectations because not all countries are cheating us in trade, only a few countries, and those countries will face some tariffs."

Auto Tariffs Pending, Steel and Aluminum Tariffs May Not Be "Simply Stacked"

It is worth noting that Trump had previously promised to impose tariffs on specific industries such as automobiles, semiconductor chips, pharmaceuticals, and lumber simultaneously.

However, according to insiders, the tariff policies for these industries are not planned to be launched together during the "Liberation Day" event on April 2.

This could be good news for the automotive industry. Although auto tariffs are still under consideration, Trump has not ruled out the possibility of introducing them at another time. However, excluding them from the announcement on April 2 would provide the automotive industry with breathing room and avoid a triple tariff hit In addition, in an interview last week, Bessent also stated that tariffs on steel and aluminum may not simply be added to the existing tariff rates of each country:

"As April 2 approaches, I will have a better judgment. So, these tariffs may be 'cumulative.'"

Risk Warning and Disclaimer

The market has risks, and investment requires caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial conditions, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article align with their specific circumstances. Investing based on this is at one's own risk