Image: ln24SA
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that a 19% tariff will be imposed on goods coming from the Philippines. This came after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the White House, which Trump described as a “beautiful visit.” Trump also stated that American products entering the Philippines would face no tariffs.
Sharing the update on his social media platform Truth Social following their meeting in the Oval Office, Trump indicated that a trade agreement had been reached. He explained, “The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19% Tariff,” and praised Marcos as a “very good and tough negotiator.”
Trump added that the two nations, both located in the Pacific region, would collaborate on military matters, though he did not provide specific details.
Marcos, who is the first leader from Southeast Asia to meet Trump during his second term, referred to the U.S. as the Philippines’ “strongest, closest, most reliable ally” at the beginning of their discussions.
The 19% tariff rate is slightly lower than the 20% Trump had threatened earlier in the month but higher than the 17% tariff set in April when reciprocal tariff rates were introduced for various countries. This new rate aligns with what was announced for Indonesia and is slightly better than the 20% tariff applied to Vietnam.
Last year, the United States had a trade deficit of nearly $5 billion with the Philippines, with total bilateral trade reaching $23.5 billion. Trump noted that the two countries engage in substantial commerce and suggested that these figures would continue to increase under the new agreement.
During the Oval Office meeting, Trump mentioned a possible upcoming visit to China and remarked that the Philippines had shifted away from Beijing following his election in November. “The country was maybe tilting toward China, but we un-tilted it very, very quickly,” he said.
In recent weeks, Trump has aimed to ease tensions with China after pausing a tariff conflict that disrupted global trade and supply chains. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans to meet with Chinese officials in Sweden next week.
Critics warn that Trump’s widespread tariffs on foreign goods could raise costs for American consumers and complicate efforts to encourage the Federal Reserve to reduce interest rates.
No immediate statement was made by Marcos before leaving the White House grounds. Philippine Assistant Foreign Secretary Raquel Solano mentioned last week that trade officials from both countries have been working toward a deal that benefits both sides.
Meanwhile, protesters gathered near the White House upon Marcos’ arrival, urging him to address concerns raised by Filipino Americans and migrant workers affected by U.S. immigration enforcement actions.
Trump emphasised the importance of the military relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines. “They’re a very important nation militarily, and we’ve had some great drills lately,” he said.
Marcos arrived in Washington on Sunday and held meetings on Monday with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. His itinerary also includes discussions with American business leaders investing in the Philippines.
Philippine officials indicated that Marcos planned to highlight the need for Manila to strengthen its economy to be a more effective U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific region. He also told reporters that the Philippines is modernising its military in response to ongoing tensions with China in the South China Sea.
Get the latests of our Loveworld News from our Johannesburg Stations and News Station South Africa, LN24 International