US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated that starting August 1, countries hit by his “reciprocal” tariffs will be required to pay. “There has been no change to this date, and there will be no change,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “In other words, all money will be due and payable starting AUGUST 1, 2025 — No extensions will be granted.”
Later during the day, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, while speaking during a cabinet meeting, said the US has already collected $100 billion in tariffs, a number expected to rise to $300 billion by year’s end, Reuters reported.
Adding to Bessent’s remarks, Trump reportedly said, “Tremendous amounts of money are coming in to our country. We never did that before. And the big money will start coming in on August 1st.”
He insisted that the new tariff rates are “fair” and largely his own creation. “The deals are mostly my deal to them… We’re picking a number that’s lower than what they charged us,” the US president said, per Reuters.
FEMA Response to Texas Floods
Turning to domestic issues, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem briefed the room on Texas flood relief efforts, reportedly saying, “FEMA has been deployed, and we’re cutting through the paperwork… much like your vision of how FEMA should operate.”
Trump, while comparing the floods to “a dam breaking,” said he and the First Lady Melania would visit Texas on Friday.
Trump Says He’s ‘Not Happy’ With Russian President Putin
Responding to a question on the Ukraine-Russia war, Trump expressed his displeasusre with President Vladimir Putin, reportedly saying, “I am not happy with Putin, I can tell you that much right now, because he is killing a lot of people… mostly his soldiers and their soldiers.”
ALSO READ: Wisconsin Supreme Court Greenlights Ban on Conversion Therapy
