Donald Trump has plunged markets and economies into turmoil after announcing sweeping trade tariffs across all of the USA’s global trade partners. 

The tariffs start at a minimum of 10%, and for some countries reach over 40%. Nations like China have already begun to retaliate, imposing reciprocal tariffs on the US. Aotearoa, which had the baseline 10% tariff put on its trade with the US, has chosen not to fight back - instead joining a number of neutral countries with no response.  

Since the tariffs were imposed this weekend, share markets have dropped to levels not seen since covid lockdowns. 

Producer Evie spoke to Senior Economics Lecturer at the University of Otago, Murat Ungor about what the potential impact of these tariffs could be on Aotearoa and its economy.