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Ninety trade deals in 90 days didn’t happen early in President Donald Trump’s second term. 鈥淟iberation Day鈥� panicked the financial markets in April. And bespoke trade agreements with dozens of countries, he has said, takes too much time. 鈥淭here鈥檚 200 countries,鈥欌�� the president acknowledged. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 talk to all of them.鈥欌��

So Trump repackaged his plan to slap tariffs on almost every nation in a series of unusual presidential letters to foreign leaders that set new thresholds not just for trade negotiations 鈥� but also for diplomatic style, tone and delivery. Most are fill-in-the-blank form letters that include leaders’ names and a tariff rate. Words are capitalized using Trump’s distinct social media style. A few typos and formatting issues appear throughout.

They generally include an opening flourish of salutation, a grievance, the threat of a big jump in tariffs, a new deadline and an escape ramp allowing that 鈥渨e will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter鈥� if certain conditions are met. Rather than typical diplomatic talk of things like enduring mutual respect, Trump closes with, 鈥淭hank you for your attention to this matter!鈥� and 鈥淏est wishes,鈥� followed by his signature of three long strokes linked by and about 14 short ones.

He appears to have paid special attention to his letters to Canada, with which he鈥檚 been fighting and taunting for months, and Brazil, which he singled out for 50% tariffs apparently based on a personal grudge rather than economics.

A negotiation tactic

The good news for the leaders of foreign countries, Trump suggested, is that if he sent you a letter, he wants to negotiate.

鈥淎 letter means a deal,鈥� he said during a Cabinet meeting. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 meet with 200 countries.鈥�

But he’s also managed to make his erratic trade policy the European Union and Mexico, at 30% each.

And it’s far from clear that these tariffs would benefit Americans’ bottom lines. Trump鈥檚 threat to boost import taxes by 50% on Brazilian goods could drive up the cost of breakfast in the United States by making staples of the American diet, such as coffee and orange juice, more expensive.

Reception has been … spotty

The response to the letters, which the White House says will also be mailed, has been mixed.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office issued a mild statement acknowledging the new Aug. 1 deadline and suggesting he would stay the course 鈥渟teadfastly defend(ing) our workers and businesses.鈥�

Brazilian President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva, meanwhile, vowed retaliatory tariffs and ordered his diplomats to return Trump鈥檚 letter if it ever physically arrives at the presidential palace in Brasilia.

鈥淩espect is good,” Lula told TV Record. 鈥淚 like to offer mine, and I like to receive it.鈥�