President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States is likely to impose a blanket import tariff of 15% to 20% on goods from countries that have not secured separate trade agreements with Washington. The new policy marks a significant escalation ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline.

"For the world, I would say it'll be somewhere in the 15% to 20% range ... I just want to be nice," Trump said while speaking in Turnberry, Scotland, alongside U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The announcement represents a hike from the 10% baseline floated in April, signaling the administration's growing willingness to leverage tariffs as a universal tool rather than pursue individual deals. "We're going to be setting a tariff for essentially the rest of the world," Trump said, citing the impracticality of negotiating with nearly 200 countries.

The impact could be sharpest on developing economies, which had hoped for leniency. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had previously indicated that smaller nations in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa might receive a 10% baseline. Monday's remarks suggest that even those countries could face higher rates.

The move follows Trump's recent actions targeting major economies. Last week, he slapped a 15% tariff on Japan, followed by similar levies on most European Union goods just days later. In contrast, Brazil and Laos have seen import tariffs reach as high as 40% to 50%.

As of now, many countries have yet to reach bilateral trade arrangements with the U.S., increasing the likelihood that the 15-20% global tariff policy will take effect broadly. According to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the White House sees no urgency to secure more deals. "The president is happy with the tariff ... as opposed to having a deal," he told CNBC.

The tariff hike could have far-reaching consequences for global supply chains, especially in sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and consumer goods that rely heavily on cross-border inputs.

With less than a week before the August 1 deadline, exporters and policymakers worldwide are bracing for a new trade reality under Trump's evolving tariff doctrine.