Trump said he decided to pause the tariffs after more than 75 countries had reached out about negotiating.
Topline
The White House is now negotiating trade deals with dozens of countries after President Donald Trump paused the worst of his sweeping tariffs for 90 days, with foreign countries suggesting the pause will give them breathing room as they seek to reach deals with the Trump administration.Key Facts
Trump pared back his sweeping tariffs on foreign imports Wednesday after they roiled the stock market and led to global economic chaos, issuing a 90-day pause on its highest tariff rates.
There will now be a 10% baseline tariff rate on most imported goods, the White House said Wednesday—rather than the higher rates the Trump administration imposed for many countries’ goods—except for China, whose imports will face an additional 125% tariff rate on top of existing tariffs, after the country imposed retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.
More than 75 countries have reached out to the White House to negotiate trade deals, Trump officials have previously said, and economic adviser Kevin Hassett told “Fox and Friends” on Thursday there are now “offers on the table” with 15 countries—though he declined to specify which—and negotiations are “moving fast.”
The Trump administration will prioritize trade deals with countries surrounding China, NBC News reported Thursday citing an anonymous White House source, citing negotiations with Japan, South Korea and Vietnam as “key priorities.”
Trump had previously told reporters Monday he was “not looking at” issuing a blanket pause on his tariffs, but said he was planning to negotiate with other countries to reach a deal, saying he was open to negotiations “if we can make a really fair deal, a really good deal for the United States.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday the president directed his trade team to “have tailor-made trade deals with each and every country that” reaches out to the U.S. to negotiate—but it had been unclear how long they would take, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested to Fox Business that the negotiations with all of the countries that have approached the Trump administration means “it’s going to be a busy April, May, maybe into June.” Crucial Quote
“Virtually every country wants to negotiate” with the U.S. over tariffs, Trump told reporters Monday, claiming foreign countries are “offering things to us that we wouldn’t have even thought of asking them for.”Which Countries Have Offered To Negotiate With Trump On Tariffs?
European Union: The EU started imposing retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. imports Wednesday morning, but decided to pause them Thursday after Trump issued his 90-day tariff pause. “We want to give negotiations a chance,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday, adding, “If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in.” “All options remain on the table,” von der Leyen wrote on X. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expected to visit the U.S. on April 17 to lead negotiations, Leavitt said Tuesday.
South Korea: Trump said on Truth Social Tuesday morning he had reached “the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries” after having a “great call” with Acting President Han Duck-soo, and trade officials from the country said Thursday that while Trump’s 90-day pause provides some breathing room, it’s still important for the country to engage in swift negotiations with the U.S., Reuters reports.
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Trump at the White House on Monday, telling reporters Israel will eliminate its trade deficit with the U.S. “very quickly” and he wants his country to serve as a “model” for how to negotiate with the U.S. on trade. Trump had not announced any commitment to ease the 17% tariffs he levied on Israeli imports prior to Wednesday’s pause, however.
