White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that there is no timeline for U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to raise tariffs on South Korea. She assured that the trade team would provide a prompt answer. This follows Trump's threat over delays in implementing a bilateral trade deal.
During a White House press briefing in Washington on February 5, 2026 (Thursday), spokesperson Karoline Leavitt responded to reporters' questions by stating she has no timeline for increasing "reciprocal" and other tariffs on South Korea from 15 percent to 25 percent. "I don't have a timeline for you on that, but I will make sure that our trade team here at the White House gets you an answer swiftly and promptly," she said.
The remarks come after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened last Monday to raise reciprocal tariffs along with duties on autos, lumber, and pharmaceuticals from South Korea, citing delays in the Asian country's legislative process for ratifying a bilateral trade deal. Under the agreement, South Korea pledged to invest $350 billion in U.S. industries in exchange for Washington reducing reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent.
With South Korea's legislative delays prompting the Trump administration to reconsider the tariff hikes, Leavitt's comments add to the uncertainty. The deal had been expected to stabilize bilateral trade ties, but the current situation is heightening tensions. The White House plans to provide further details soon.
