Donald Trump broadcasts his desperate need for attention with yet another move from his usual playbook

President Donald Trump has released a new set of letters to six more countries about upcoming tariffs, following his earlier announcements to other nations. These letters, shared on Wednesday, outline new tax rates on imports that will start on August 1.

According to Politico, the Philippines, which sent $14.1 billion worth of goods to the U.S. last year, is the largest economy among the six countries receiving the letters, as Trump continues his controversial tariff strategy despite previous blunders with China. The other countries are Brunei, Moldova, Iraq, Algeria, and Libya.

Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that sending letters was better than trying to make individual deals, reflecting his unconventional communication approach. “I just want you to know a letter means a deal. We can’t meet with 200 countries. You have to do it in a more general way,” he explained.

New tariff rates show changes from the April announcement

The latest tariff rates show some changes from Trump’s earlier “Liberation Day” announcement in April. The Philippines will now face a 20 percent rate, up from the previously announced 17 percent. Meanwhile, Moldova’s rate dropped to 25 percent from 31 percent, and Iraq’s decreased to 30 percent from 39 percent.

These new letters follow Trump’s Monday executive order that pushed back the start date for these tariffs to August 1. While he mentioned this deadline might not be completely fixed, he later posted on Truth Social that the date would not change, stating “TARIFFS WILL START BEING PAID ON AUGUST 1, 2025.”

The United States received different amounts of imports from these countries last year. Iraq exported $7.5 billion worth of goods, Algeria sent $2.4 billion, and Libya provided $1.5 billion. The smaller exporters were Brunei with $238 million and Moldova with $136 million worth of goods.

The Philippines, which received its letter on Wednesday, plays an important role in U.S. plans to increase its economic influence and compete with China in Southeast Asia. The 20 percent tariff rate planned for the Philippines matches the rate given to Vietnam, which agreed to a framework deal with the Trump administration. Vietnam, which originally faced a possible 46 percent tariff, exported $136 billion in goods to the United States last year.