US lawmakers are learnt of considering ten-times more tariffs on countries such as India, China, Brazil and even BRICS-member states. According to lawmakers, such steep tariffs were one way to punish Russia with sanctions. Apparently, one of the lawmakers believes that such a Senate approved sanction was the "only way to stop Putin's war machine".
The latest considerations follow last week's development when US President declared that he had asked European Union and NATO to join America in imposing tariffs on the latter's partner countries. Quoted by various news reports, US Senator chipped in stating that lawmakers had been working on "this plan" for months.
In June this year, that is ahead of the tariff flip-flops, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted explaining America's tariffs as, "If you’re buying products from Russia and you’re not helping Ukraine, then there’s a 500 percent tariff on your products coming into the United States,” Graham said.
What gaslighted a number of Asians was his statement - "India and China buy 70 percent of Putin’s oil. They keep his war machine going."
While no country has been imposed with 500 percent tariffs so far, BRICS countries such as Brazil, India and China have reportedly been awarded the maximum tariffs by US President Donald Trump and his administration.
On Monday, the Senator tweeted to X revealing that the tariff strategy had been months in the making. Graham's joint statement with Republican Brian Fitz read, "For months, we’ve worked together on legislation that would back up this strategy authorizing the President to levy significant tariffs on countries, like China, India, and Brazil, that continue to finance Putin by buying his cheap oil and gas. We strongly support President Trump’s call for joint action with Europe, and believe this is the right approach to bring maximum economic pressure to bear.”
The Senator has informed media outlets that Republicans would consult their Democrat counterparts for a "bipartisan support to empower Trump." He also urged his Senate colleagues that "the free world must act, and America must lead."
