Trump targets smaller trade partners such as Algeria, Libya with tariffs

President Donald Trump on Wednesday sent tariff letters to seven smaller U.S. trading partners, including Algeria, Libya, and Iraq, vowing to announce broader import taxes later. The move signals his continued push to tax trade despite economic warnings that tariffs could fuel inflation and slow growth. Trump, who has touted tariffs as a tool to reduce trade deficits and revive U.S. factories, also framed trade as a diplomatic lever. Meeting with African leaders, he exempted some nations such Mauritania, saying, "These are friends of mine now.”