Trump announces he will impose "significant" tariffs on pharmaceutical imports

U.S. president Donald Trump ccommented Tuesday during a Republican Congressional Central Committee dinner that pharmaceutical imports would soon be subject to "significant" tariffs as part of his plan to restore the country's manufacturing. While the Republican leader had excluded drug imports from the first round of tariffs he imposed on 180 countries and territories, he told attendees at the event that this time they would not be exempt.

"We're going to announce a major tariff on pharmaceuticalsvery soon. And once we do that, they're going to come running back to our countrybecause we're the big market. The advantage we have over everybody else is that we are the big market. So we're going to announce very soon a major tariff on pharmaceuticals. And when you guys, and when they hear that, they will leave China, they will leave other places because they have to sell. Most of their product is sold here," Trump said.

Uncertainty among Republicans

Despite emphasizing the imposition of tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, Trump provided no further details or a specific timeline for their implementation. Last week, the Republican president imposed a series of tariffs on both allied and adversary countries, triggering a sharp market drop and creating uncertainty in the global economy. This has led to speculation about whether the U.S. president's actions are part of a negotiation strategy or the start of a historic economic shift.

In addition to announcing tariffs on drug imports, the Republican leader also promoted his economic agenda during his speech before GOP lawmakers. He described it as a comprehensive restructuring of trade aimed at not only attracting significant investments but also bringing thousands of factories back to the United States.

Despite Trump’s insistence on pursuing his tariff strategy, several Republican leaders have opposed the imposition of tariffs on the world’s major economies, arguing that the collateral damage will ultimately be borne by ordinary Americans. Even South African tycoon Elon Musk, who serves in the Trump administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), reportedly attempted—unsuccessfully—to convince the president to back off his tariff push on several occasions, according to The Washington Post.