Trump Exposes Eight Non-Tariff Trade Practices Hurting U.S. Economy

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly identified eight key non-tariff trade practices that he believes have long disadvantaged American industries in global markets.

Trump, who had previously introduced a foreign tariffs program in April to counter trade imbalances, emphasized these non-tariff practices in a recent post on his social platform, Truth Social, under the headline “Non-Tariff Cheating.”

Key Non-Tariff Barriers Listed by Trump

According to the post, the eight major practices include:

Currency Manipulation
Value-Added Taxes (VATs) acting as indirect tariffs
Export Subsidies and Other Government Incentives
Dumping Products Below Cost
Agricultural Restrictions like the EU’s ban on genetically modified corn
Protective Technical Standards, e.g., Japan’s bowling ball test
Intellectual Property Theft, including counterfeiting and piracy—reportedly costing over $1 trillion annually
Transshipping, a strategy used to bypass direct tariffs

Trump argues these practices create unfair advantages for foreign producers while undermining U.S. manufacturers and workers.

“The businessmen who criticize tariffs are weak in both business and politics. They fail to recognize that I am the biggest ally American capitalism has ever seen,” he stated.

The former president also mentioned that many global leaders and CEOs have approached him since his declaration of “Liberation Day”, seeking relief from American-imposed tariffs.

Trump’s Call for Economic Reciprocity

Trump insists that these unfair tactics must be corrected to restore the U.S.’s economic strength and achieve true reciprocity in trade. He encourages international businesses to invest directly in the U.S., asserting that building within America is the most viable path forward.

Context and Global Reactions

The tariffs initiative initially ignited tension between the U.S. and major global powers, notably China and the European Union. While the U.S. temporarily suspended the tariffs for 90 days, the debate around fair trade and non-tariff barriers remains a major issue in international relations.