US EditionTrump modifies tariff rate for Lesotho to 15% as small country reels from tariff impacts
LESOTHO, JUL 31 – The tariff cut to 15% follows months of uncertainty that caused layoffs and factory closures, impacting Lesotho's textile sector that employs tens of thousands, officials said.
- U.S. President Donald Trump reduced Lesotho's tariff rate from 50% to 15% on Thursday amid ongoing trade tensions.
- The high tariffs originated from an April Trump administration order imposing a 50% reciprocal tariff on Lesotho due to a claimed 99% Lesotho tariff on U.S. goods.
- This tariff threat caused U.S. importers to cancel orders, leading to mass layoffs and factory shutdowns in Lesotho's key textile sector, which employed over 30,000 workers in 2024.
- Trade Minister Mokhethi Shelile said, “No, this cannot be real,” and noted, “The trade deficit cannot be breached by imposing tariffs,” highlighting economic disparities.
- The tariff reduction offers temporary relief, but uncertainty continues as the pause on the 50% tariff is set to expire Friday, with outcomes depending on future negotiations.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Lesotho gets tariff relief from US, but economic damage lingers
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US President Donald Trump's customs policy employs many countries around the world. The example of an African country shows the enormous impact that US trade policy can have.
Trump modifies tariff rate for Lesotho to 15% as small country reels from tariff impacts
The small African country Lesotho received a modified tariff rate of 15% Thursday from U.S. President Donald Trump as the nation continued to reel from high tariffs the administration had threatened to implement earlier this year.
The US has significantly reduced import duties on Lesotho goods, but this decision may be too late for the small country in southern Africa.
How tariffs have hit the African factory where Trump golf shirts are made
The tiny African nation of Lesotho was slapped with heavy tariffs by US President Donald Trump, sending its once-thriving textile industry into a near collapse. Lesotho, which once produced Trump's premium golf shirts, was hit with 50 per cent tariffs, resulting in factory shutdowns and mass layoffs of thousands of workers, mostly women
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