THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE: Here’s why serbia is among the countries most affected by Trump’s tariffs!

Serbia is among the countries hit hardest by the tariffs imposed by the United States following a decision by President Donald Trump.

As seen in the tables published last night, the U.S. administration largely used a mathematical approach in determining the tariff rates for each country or territory.

For those imposing high tariffs on American products—20% or more—Trump has introduced tariffs amounting to half of what U.S. companies are charged. On the other hand, countries and territories that taxed U.S. goods at a 10% rate will now face equal tariffs from the U.S.

According to Trump’s administration, Serbia has burdened American products with tariffs as high as 74%. As a result, Serbian exports to the U.S. will now be taxed at a rate of 37%.

WHO COULD BE HIT THE HARDEST

Serbia has the right to protect its market from American products with higher duties, but this decision has clearly backfired. The question remains whether such high tariffs were necessary, given how other countries treated U.S. goods.

The biggest victims of these tariffs could be Serbia’s automotive industry—especially car tires—as well as the defense industry, primarily ammunition exports. Although not a major export category, food products could also be affected.

Serbia exports IT services to the U.S. in significant volumes, but these should not be impacted by the tariffs.

Meanwhile, while Serbia does not export large amounts of metals to the U.S. compared to Europe and other markets, these industries could be indirectly affected. Other countries facing tariffs might prioritize their domestic producers, reducing their exports to the U.S. and limiting space for Serbian exporters.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE U.S. MARKET FOR SERBIA

This means that Serbia will certainly feel the effects, even though the U.S. is not one of its largest export markets. However, it cannot be ignored either.

Data from the Republic Statistical Office shows that trade between the two countries has balanced out in the last two years. Serbian exports have grown significantly faster than imports from the U.S.

Still, Serbia’s exports to the U.S. make up only about 2% of its total exports. The American market ranks 19th in importance for Serbian exports. However, it remains noteworthy that Serbian exports to the U.S. have surpassed 600 million euros for the first time.

A BLOW TO POOR COUNTRIES

The tariff tables covering 185 countries and territories show that Trump’s administration has targeted 70 of them for imposing tariffs above 10% on U.S. goods.

Companies from 32 countries and territories will face import tariffs exceeding 30% when exporting to the U.S. The hardest-hit country is Lesotho, which had imposed a 99% tariff on U.S. goods and will now face a 50% tariff when exporting to America.

The overall conclusion from the list is that Trump’s move is particularly unfair to developing countries. Among wealthier nations facing higher tariffs are only Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, South Africa, China, Israel, India, Brunei, Liechtenstein, and Norway (alongside the European Union).

On the other hand, a much longer list includes poor and developing nations, for which these new tariffs will likely slow economic growth. It’s hard to believe they were truly a threat to the U.S. market. In addition to Lesotho, the list includes Cambodia, Laos, earthquake-stricken Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Also affected are countries recovering from war, such as Syria, Libya, and Iraq. The only exception is Afghanistan, which will face only a 10% tariff, despite imposing a 49% tariff on U.S. imports.

China will now face a total tariff burden of 54%, as it previously imposed a 20% tariff on U.S. goods. Meanwhile, Russia is absent from the list due to sanctions, as are Mexico and Canada, whose tariffs had already been set and will take effect this week.

DAY OF LIBERATION?

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the U.S. will impose “reciprocal tariffs” on its trade partners.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said the tariffs being imposed are actually “discounted” rates. He stated they are based on a “combined rate of all their tariffs, non-monetary barriers, and other forms of cheating.”

Trump claimed that the new rates are roughly half of what each country had imposed on the U.S., calling his approach “mild.”

The president also confirmed that a 25% tariff on all imported cars will take effect at midnight.

The stock markets reacted negatively to the announcement—S&P 500 futures fell nearly 2%, Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 2.5%, and Dow Jones futures declined by almost 1%.

Trump and his administration have been promoting the idea of a “Day of Liberation” with reciprocal tariffs for weeks. Although Trump recently suggested they would be lower than full reciprocity, the tariffs announced today represent his most comprehensive tariff package yet—despite tariffs being a central policy of his administration from the start.