US President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs have been delayed until 1 August, amid confusion over their implementation date.
The US tariffs were due to come into effect on 9 July following the announcement of a 90-day pause in May.
Trump’s administration stated it would begin sending letters to trade partners informing them of the tax terms this week.
However, officials have placed the tariff start date as 1 August, according to a report by The Guardian.
This created confusion during a recent press conference in which Trump inferred deals between all countries affected would be completed by 9 July.
“No, there are going to be tariffs, the tariffs, the tariffs are going to be, the tariffs,” Trump told reporters.
“I think we will have most countries done by 9 July, yeah. Either a letter or a deal.”
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stepped in and added: “But they go into effect on 1 August.
“Tariffs go into effect 1 August, but the President is setting the rates and the deals right now.”
Trump’s so-called ‘Liberation Day’ taxes were revealed in April 2025, which planned to impose a 10% tariff on all countries.
He then issued “individualised” higher tariffs on the countries the US has the largest trade deficits.
The most scathing of these individualised tariffs was aimed at China, which experienced a total tax hike of 145%.
Vietnam saw a 46% increase, while Japan, South Africa and Taiwan rates are expected to jump by 24%, 30% and 32% respectively.
The UK and China would go on to strike deals to ease Trump’s tariff hikes.
A 90-day pause on levies between the US and China was agreed following talks in Geneva, Switzerland (10 to 11 May).
Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, said Trump’s taxes have dropped to 10% for China – down from 145%.
On top of a prior 20% tax imposed on China following Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, this meant the world’s second-largest market’s tariffs stood at 30%.
China, in turn, agreed to reduce its retaliatory tariffs of 125% to 10% for exports from America.
The global market and industries across the globe have been shaken by the sweeping tax hikes.
This includes beauty, with brands and manufacturers scrambling to control the situation by increasing the prices of beauty goods.
e.l.f. Beauty was the latest brand to raise prices in response to Trump’s global tariff hikes.
Skin care brand Naturium, meanwhile, is also raising prices on its goods in the US and the UK from 1 August.
Earlier in May, Glow Recipe joined the growing roster of brands upping product costs.
The Inkey List also raised prices on its products in the US in May.