Will Trump Negotiate Tariffs? Trump Says Countries Are ‘Talking To Us’ As White House Doesn’t Rule Out 90-Day Pause
Key Facts
Trump suggested he was open to speaking with other countries about the tariffs Monday, saying on Truth Social, “Countries from all over the World are talking to us” and “tough but fair parameters are being set.”
Trump imposed widespread tariffs on foreign imports from nearly all countries last week, which have roiled the stock market and led to global economic chaos, with economists warning the tariffs will lead to higher prices for consumers and could spark a recession.
More than 50 countries have reached out to the White House to negotiate on tariffs, Kevin Hassett, the White House’s national economic council director, said on Fox News on Monday.
Hassett would not rule out the possibility of a 90-day pause on the tariffs, just saying, “I think the president is gonna decide what the president is gonna decide.”
The White House had previously offered divergent views on whether Trump could negotiate with other countries and lower tariffs in response, with some aides denying Trump’s tariffs are a negotiation while the president told reporters Thursday the tariffs give the U.S. “great power to negotiate” and he could roll back tariffs “if [a country] said that we’re going to give you something that’s so phenomenal.”
Which Countries Have Offered To Negotiate With Trump On Tariffs?
European Union: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday that Europe has offered Trump “zero-for-zero” tariffs on industrial goods in an effort to relieve the 20% tariffs Trump imposed on the bloc, saying the EU is “always ready for a good deal.”
Cambodia: Cambodia’s commerce ministry sent a letter to the Trump administration pledging to cut tariffs on its U.S. imports from 35% to 5% after Trump levied 49% tariffs on the nation—a major manufacturer of some American products, like shoes—if the U.S. opens discussions on lowering Trump’s tariffs.
United Kingdom: British officials believe they could reach a deal to remove or reduce Trump’s 10% tariffs on the U.K. “within weeks,” according to The Washington Post, as the government has already been in negotiations with the Trump administration, offering to lower tariffs on U.S. goods and preparing to offer a lower tax rate for American companies in the U.K.
Vietnam: In a letter Saturday, Vietnam’s Communist Party offered to remove all tariffs on U.S. goods in hopes of lowering the 46% tax Trump imposed for Vietnamese imports, in exchange for the Trump administration pausing its tariffs on the country’s exports by at least 45 days.
India: Indian officials have suggested they’re likely to try and negotiate with Trump rather than impose any major retaliatory moves, with an unnamed official telling Bloomberg the country is “seeking dialogue and not confrontation.”
Taiwan: President Lai Ching-te said Sunday Taiwan will not impose any retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports and he wants to negotiate with the Trump administration with a goal of “zero tariffs” between the U.S. and Taiwan, Reuters reports, with the leader also pledging to increase Taiwan’s U.S. investments.
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Trump on Monday and Israel canceled its tariffs on U.S. imports even before Trump’s tariff rollout last week, with Netanyahu saying he hopes Trump will ease the 17% tariffs imposed on Israeli imports after the two leaders meet.
Indonesia: Indonesia’s chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said Sunday the country will pursue a diplomatic solution to the 32% tariffs Trump levied on the nation’s goods rather than imposing retaliatory tariffs, Reuters reports, and the country is planning to send a delegation to the U.S. to negotiate with Trump.
Surprising Fact
Trump levied tariffs on several uninhabited islands or places with only a few residents, such as the Heard and McDonald Islands, an Australian territory that’s primarily inhabited by penguins. It will likely be more difficult for those nations to reach any negotiations about lowering their tariffs. Lutnick defended the tariffs on those countries Sunday, claiming to CBS News they were necessary or else other countries could try to use them to get around Trump’s tariffs.
What Has The Trump Administration Said About Negotiating On Tariffs?
While Trump has suggested he could negotiate with other countries on tariffs, other aides have claimed the president is not open to making deals, especially in the short term. Trump “is not going to back off what he announced yesterday. He’s not going to back off,” Lutnick told CNN on Thursday after Trump’s tariffs were announced, also telling CNBC, “I don’t think the word exemption is going to be a factor. I don’t think that’s such a thing.” Lutnick maintained that stance Sunday, telling CBS News, “There’s no postponing [the tariffs taking effect], they’re definitely going to stay in place for days or weeks.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also denied to NBC News on Sunday that the president is going to get rid of other countries’ tariffs in the short term, saying trade deficits with other countries are “not the kind of thing you can negotiate away in days or weeks.” Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro previously similarly suggested to CNBC that Trump was not open to negotiation, saying last week, “Let me make this very clear. This is not a negotiation…this is a national emergency.” In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Navarro expressed slightly more openness to negotiations, but decried what he called “non-tariff cheating” by other countries. Navarro suggested countries will have to make concessions beyond lowering tariffs on U.S. goods in order to get the White House to lower tariffs on their products, such as removing value-added taxes (VAT) or ending policies like Europe not accepting meat imports from the U.S. “We’re always willing to listen .. if you want to come and talk to us,” Navarro said about other countries negotiating with the U.S.
Key Background
Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on other countries Wednesday, fulfilling a longtime campaign promise to levy tariffs on foreign goods in an effort to return manufacturing to the U.S. The president’s plan has long been decried by economists, who have warned any tariffs would raise prices for consumers and harm the U.S. economy—a scenario that started playing out after Trump announced his tariffs, as stocks plunged and economists forecasted a recession could now be on the way. Trump has continued to double down on his economic plan despite the chaos his tariffs have caused, saying on Truth Social on Saturday his tariffs are an “ECONOMIC REVOLUTION” and Americans should “HANG TOUGH.” “It won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic,” Trump wrote. “We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
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