Trump: Tariffs to be collected by “External Revenue Service”

“It is time for that to change. I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources,” he wrote.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in the Department of Homeland Security, is currently responsible for collecting tariffs. But Trump’s post took aim at the Internal Revenue Service, which he has previously portrayed as hostile to taxpayers. 

“We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share,” he wrote.

Trump pledged during his campaign to boost U.S. manufacturing by putting tariffs of 10% to 20% on all foreign imports, 25% on products from Mexico and Canada and up to 60% on imports from China. 

Trump has said he “can’t guarantee” the tariffs won’t raise prices for Americans, who cited the economy as their top issue in the Nov. 5 election. 

While he often frames tariffs as an expense for foreign countries, importers pay them and pass the costs to U.S. consumers, according to economists who have warned they could cause a spike in prices and inflation.

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