‘Dirty 15’ list: Which countries will suffer most from Trump’s tariffs?

US President Donald Trump is set to impose new tariffs starting April 2, marking what he calls “Liberation Day” for America. These tariffs will target countries that impose high duties on US goods or follow restrictive trade policies that the White House considers unfair.

While the exact details of the tariffs remain unclear, certain nations are expected to bear the brunt of the new measures. Trump’s administration has repeatedly claimed that existing trade rules favour other countries at the expense of the US, and the new tariffs are seen as a response to these concerns.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently referred to a group of nations as the “Dirty 15,” which he described as the 15% of US trading partners that impose steep tariffs and other trade barriers on American goods.

Although Bessent did not disclose the exact list of these nations, data from the US Commerce Department’s 2024 trade deficit report provides some clues. According to the report, the countries with the highest goods trade deficits with the US are:

China
European Union
Mexico
Vietnam
Ireland
Germany
Taiwan
Japan
South Korea
Canada
India
Thailand
Italy
Switzerland
Malaysia
Indonesia

These countries collectively account for a major portion of the US trade imbalance and are expected to face the most significant impact from the new tariffs.

In addition to this, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has also highlighted 21 nations that follow trade practices deemed unfair. This extended list includes:

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.

While the focus has been on the “Dirty 15,” Trump’s recent remarks suggest that more countries could be affected by the new trade measures.