On Thursday afternoon, July 31, 2025, at the White House in Washington, D.C., Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke to reporters in the Brady Briefing Room. She announced that President Donald Trump would sign a major executive order later that evening as the deadline for new tariffs was set to hit at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 1.
Leavitt explained that this executive order is needed to set the rules for the upcoming trade tariffs and lock in deals with several countries before the deadline. She said more than 200 countries have contacted the U.S. trade and tariff team to negotiate or discuss agreements.
According to Leavitt, the administration has focused on America’s most important trading partners. Out of the 18 key countries affected, two-thirds already have special trade deals in place. For the rest, the U.S. plans to send official letters or include them in the executive order before midnight.
She added that the trade team has been working nonstop at the White House to reach out to as many countries as they can. This move is one of the biggest steps in Trump’s trade policy, aiming to reshape global trade and protect U.S. industries.
I think this executive order shows that Trump’s team wants big changes in world trade. It’s good to protect American jobs, but the U.S. should also make sure these tariffs don’t hurt small businesses or make prices go up for regular people. The next few months will show if this plan can be strong and fair at the same time.