POLITICO clarifies scope of tariff reductions in coverage of White House trade order

POLITICO has corrected its reporting on the Trump administration’s latest round of tariff adjustments, clarifying that duties on agricultural imports from Brazil and India were reduced, not eliminated, under the White House’s new executive order.

The original article stated that the administration had “eliminated tariffs on a wide swath of food imports,” and referenced Brazil and India among the countries whose agricultural products saw duties slashed. POLITICO now acknowledges that while those tariffs were eased, they were not removed entirely.

The correction refines a crucial element of the administration’s trade posture. The original framing suggested a broader policy reversal at a moment when industries are pressing for deeper tariff relief and when the White House is under pressure to address consumer prices following stinging off-year election results. The administration has insisted that its approach remains consistent: tariff cuts for goods the U.S. cannot physically produce, while preserving - and in some areas expanding - duties on manufactured goods central to its industrial strategy.

The distinction also shapes how foreign governments interpret Washington’s intentions. Brazil and India had both been targeted earlier this year with steep punitive tariffs tied to political disputes, and the suggestion that all duties had been scrapped risked implying a diplomatic thaw not borne out by policy. The White House continues to pursue aggressive tariff leverage even as it selectively uses exemptions to temper inflationary effects.

POLITICO amended the story to note that “tariffs on Brazil and India’s agricultural products were reduced, but not eliminated,” bringing the reporting into alignment with the administration’s official position.