Impact of Trump’s 2025 “Liberation Day†Tariffs on Southeast Asia

Chris Daniel Wong, Victor Tay, Stephen T. Homer and Farzana Nazera
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Chris Daniel Wong: Chairman Emeritus Malaysia Digital Chamber of Commerce, Malaysia Fellow Chartered Institute of Digital Economy, Malaysia
Victor Tay: Fellow Charte
Stephen T. Homer: Director, Yunus Social Business Centre, Sunway University, Malaysia Head of Research, Principles of Responsible Management Education ASEAN+ Chapter, Malaysia
Farzana Nazera: PhD Programme Leader, Spectrum International University College, Malaysia

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2025, vol. 9, issue 5, 5556-5570

Abstract: This paper investigates President Donald Trump’s 2025 “Liberation Day†tariff policy, a broad set of reciprocal import taxes meant to reestablish American economic sovereignty, and its dramatic influence on Southeast Asian economies. All U.S. imports are subject to a 10% levy, but Trump’s administration has imposed much higher penalties on the worst offenders, including Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, which may reach 49%, 48%, and 46%, respectively. Such steps might raise production costs, disrupt supply chains, and hurt export-driven sectors. This mixed-methods study combines quantitative trade flow interruption and export volume decline analysis with qualitative case studies from affected nations. The findings show that severe tariffs cause immediate market disruptions, diminished export competitiveness, and probable job losses, as well as longer-term strategic alterations in regional supply chain arrangements. The research warns that U.S. market dependence could cause socioeconomic instability in countries. This article illuminates the intricate relationship between politically motivated policy decisions and their cascading economic effects by placing the 2025 tariff policy in the context of U.S. trade policies and worldwide tariff conflicts. The findings suggest reassessing unilateral tariff measures and proposing policies to mitigate economic harm to weak trading partners.

Date: 2025
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