US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping discounted 15 per cent reciprocal tariffs on all foreign-made automobiles on Nigeria.

Trump argued that the United States has been at a disadvantage in global trade for decades. The move, he claimed, was necessary to revive American manufacturing and correct what he called “horrendous imbalances” in international trade.

“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said during his speech, blaming past American leaders for allowing such trade disparities to persist.

Trump pointed to discrepancies in global tariff structures, noting that while the US imposes only a 2.4 per cent tariff on motorcycles, other countries charge significantly more. “Thailand and others are charging much higher prices—like 60 per cent. India charges 70 per cent. Vietnam charges 75 per cent, and others are even higher than that,” he said.

“Until today, the United States has for decades charged a 2.5 per cent tariff on foreign-made automobiles. The European Union charges us more than 10 per cent, and they have 20 per cent VATs—much, much higher.”

“Eighty-one per cent of the cars in South Korea are made in South Korea. Ninety-four per cent of the cars in Japan are made in Japan. Toyota sells 1 million foreign-made automobiles into the United States, and General Motors sells almost none.”

While criticising the trade imbalances, Trump insisted that foreign nations were not to blame. “I don’t blame these other countries at all for this calamity. I blame former presidents and past leaders who weren’t doing their job,” he said.