The White House announced today that U.S. President Donald Trump may extend his reciprocal tariff deadlines.
When asked if the president remains committed to reaching trade agreements by the current deadline, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the date “is not critical.”
“The president can simply offer these countries a deal if they refuse to do it within the deadline. And that means the president can choose a reciprocal tariff rate that he believes is beneficial to the United States and the American worker,” Leavitt explained. She added that while the deadline “perhaps can be extended,” it remains a decision for the president to make.
Regarding potential trade agreements, Leavitt highlighted that Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has had productive discussions with many of the United States’ key trading partners.
Last month, Trump threatened to impose a direct 50 percent tariff on the European Union starting June 1, citing stalled trade talks. However, following discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump extended that deadline to July 9. Trump also faces the end of a three-month suspension for imposing reciprocal tariffs on almost every other nation. This pause, which lowered nearly universal tariffs to a 10 percent rate, is set to expire on July 8.
