U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to over 150 countries, saying they have just a few weeks to negotiate new trade deals with the United States before facing higher tariffs.
Speaking on Friday after his Middle East trip, Trump acknowledged that trade negotiations have been slow, with countries scrambling to strike agreements before the deadline. If no deal is reached by the end of this period, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will send out new tariff rates for those countries.
Trump had initially paused the imposition of “reciprocal tariffs” in April, giving countries 90 days to come to the negotiating table. However, with the deadline fast approaching, he said it’s clear that many countries won’t be able to reach agreements in time.
“We have 150 countries that want to make a deal, but we can’t meet with them all,” Trump said, emphasizing that the government would set the new tariffs soon if no agreement is made.
If the negotiations don’t produce results, the U.S. could impose tariffs as high as 50%, according to Trump. The new tariffs would apply to imports from countries that fail to negotiate new trade terms. While some countries have reached agreements with the U.S., such as the UK and China, the broader push for trade deals remains ongoing.
Trump’s trade policies have caused significant uncertainty in global markets, leading to concerns over the potential economic impacts, including rising prices for American consumers and businesses.
The president has stated that despite the challenges, he believes the tariffs will ultimately lead to better trade deals and a more favourable economic situation for the U.S.
