Antigua and several Caribbean nations have been swept up in a new 10% universal tariff announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025. The measure, which affects 21 countries across the region, is part of a broader global strategy targeting nearly 60 nations with tariffs ranging from 10% to 49%.

Framed as a move to combat “unfair global trade practices,” Trump said the tariffs are intended to protect American industries and revive U.S. manufacturing. The announcement, timed for what he dubbed “Liberation Day,” is widely seen as a political play to energize his protectionist base.

The policy threatens to strain U.S.-Caribbean relations, particularly for nations like Antigua, Jamaica, and Trinidad that rely heavily on exports to the U.S. Economists warn the tariffs could trigger reduced export earnings, job losses, and heightened poverty across the region.

While the U.S. has long used tariffs as a policy tool, the sweeping nature of Trump’s action marks a sharp escalation in trade tensions. Comparisons are being drawn to the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff, which deepened the Great Depression. Experts caution that this new wave of protectionism could bring higher consumer prices and global economic instability.