The president directly responded to a question about a possible pause in his plans.
President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is not looking to pause his tariff plan, as countries seek to negotiate deals with the White House.
Earlier Monday, the three major U.S. stock indexes saw-sawed after CNBC aired “unconfirmed information” claiming that Trump was considering a 90-day pause. But the White House said on social media that such reports were “fake news.”
Later, when speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked about a possible pause on tariffs to allow talks on deals.
“Well, we’re not looking at that,” the president responded. “We have many, many countries that are coming to negotiate deals with us, and they’re going to be fair deals. And in certain cases, they’re going to be paying substantial tariffs. There will be fair deals.”
Several countries have publicly indicated they want to lower their tariff rates on U.S. goods, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying the European Union could go “zero-for-zero” with the United States. Leaders in Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries have also indicated they would engage in talks.
Trump told reporters that von der Leyen’s offer was not good enough. “They’re screwing us on trade,” Trump said in response to a question about her proposal.
“If China does not withdraw its 34 percent increase above their already long-term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50 percent, effective April 9th,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said the United States is open to negotiations with Japan due to the country’s “outreach and measured approach.”
The back-and-forth public statements on tariffs injected further turbulence into global financial markets, which have fallen steadily since Trump’s announcement. U.S. stocks swung wildly, spiking after a report on a possible 90-day tariff pause and then turning negative again after the White House dismissed the claim.
Trump administration officials say the president is following through on a promise to reverse decades of trade liberalization that he believes has undercut the U.S. economy. During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump often said he would impose tariffs on countries to offset longstanding trade deficits.
Last week, Trump announced a baseline 10 percent tariff on all countries, while more significant trading partners such as China, the EU, and Vietnam would see higher rates.
“He’s doubling down on something that he knows works, and he’s going to continue to do that,” White House economist Kevin Hassett said on Fox News on Monday. “But he is also going to listen to our trading partners, and if they come to us with really great deals that advantage American manufacturing and American farmers, I’m sure he’ll listen.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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