The prospect of U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals became more than just speculation this week, with President Donald Trump saying those tariffs likely would begin at 25% and climb over the year. His comments came in response to a question at a Feb. 18 news conference that followed the signing of two unrelated executive orders. Asked about the planned rate for tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, Trump responded that it would be 25% and higher and it would “go very substantially higher over [the] course of a year.”