President Donald Trump said he has not tried to suspend tariffs before it comes into effect Wednesday, despite stock market turmoil and global economic horrors.
“We haven’t seen that,” Trump said Monday. Instead, the president said the country could work to restore the balance of trade relations with the United States through other actions.
“There are a lot of countries that are coming to negotiate a deal with us,” Trump said. “They’re going to be fair deals and in certain cases they’ll pay a fair amount of duties.”
For some, these debates are already ongoing, with the president promoting a “very good” conversation with Japan on Monday, saying he hopes his administration will speak to China soon. China’s tariffs are expected to rise to 104% on Wednesday.
Still, when asked whether tariffs were permanent or open to negotiations, the point his advisor struggled to clarify last week – arguing that “they could be both true.”
“There could be permanent things and there could be negotiations as there’s something needed beyond the tariffs,” he said. “So we’re going to get fair deals and good deals with all countries.”
Trump’s comments follow days of turbulent markets following his announcement last week that he wiped out global tariffs. The US stock market closed again after a day shaking on Monday.
When repeatedly extending his tariff plans, the president broached his tariff agenda on terms that define legacy, telling reporters, “It’s good to serve nice and simple terms, but we have the opportunity to change the fabric of our country.”
He said, “This is the only chance our country has to reset the table because other presidents can’t even motivate or experience what I’m doing.
Next to him was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said Israel “will serve as a model” for a country that is about to step in with the White House.
“Sometimes you have to take your medicine,” Trump said over the weekend.