The United States has a trade deficit with Iraq, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, according to the US government, prompting the president to send them letters warning of new tariffs.

The latest unilateral actions were 20 per cent tariffs on the Philippines, 25 per cent on Moldova and Brunei, and 30 per cent on Iraq, Algeria and Libya, effective August 1. These, the letters added, are separate from any sectoral tariffs that may be imposed later.