With the deadline looming for the U.S. to increase tariffs on imports from numerous nations—including a massive 104% tax on Chinese goods—global leaders were reportedly scrambling on Tuesday to decipher President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy and connect with the appropriate individuals within the Administration to try and obtain exemptions.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer informed Congress on Tuesday that approximately “nearly 50” nations have contacted him to discuss Trump’s newly implemented tariffs. Greer stated before the Senate Finance Committee that Argentina, Vietnam, and Israel have “suggested they will reduce their tariffs and non-tariffs barriers.”
However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated on Tuesday that Trump is unlikely to compromise in the near future. While Trump is open to individual discussions with countries, she told reporters that these negotiations would not halt the across-the-board 10% tariff on all imports, which took effect over the weekend. Higher tariff rates aimed at numerous countries are scheduled to be implemented at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, including the significant 104% tariff on China, the leading supplier of U.S. imports.
“Trump has a spine of steel. He will not break. America will not break under his leadership,” Leavitt asserted.
Administration officials continued to emphasize the possibility of the U.S. forging new “deals” with other countries, but the timeframe for such negotiations remained unclear. Leavitt confirmed that Trump insists on personally overseeing the negotiations and is prepared to consider offers beyond trade concessions in exchange for lowering U.S. tariffs, including countries covering the expenses of hosting U.S. military forces and addressing other foreign policy objectives. “All options are on the table for each country but again these are going to be tailor-made deals,” Leavitt stated.
During his visit to the Oval Office on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed eliminating Israel’s trade barriers. “Israel’s proactive approach should serve as a model for the rest of the world,” Leavitt commented. Despite this, the U.S. tariff on Israel is still slated to rise to 17%.
Trump’s approval ratings have reportedly fallen in recent weeks, coinciding with increased disapproval of his handling of the economy. A Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed his approval rating at 43% last week, a decrease of 4 points since he assumed office in late January. A Wall Street Journal poll published on Friday indicated that 54% of voters opposed Trump’s tariff proposals.
In his testimony to Congress on Tuesday, Greer, Trump’s top trade negotiator, stated that the new tariffs are intended to shift the U.S. economy towards producing “real goods and services” and reduce its reliance on the financial sector and government spending. Greer acknowledged that the country is undergoing a significant transformation. “It is a moment of drastic, overdue change, but I am confident the American people will rise to the occasion as they have done before,” Greer said.
“`