According to Reuters, President Donald Trump on April 10 (local time) affirmed that he will not extend the 30-day temporary deferral period of taxation on imported goods from dozens of trading partners, regardless of whether these countries have reached an agreement with the US or not.
The announcement came amid fluctuations in international trade talks.
Speaking at the White House, Mr. Trump stated that his administration has no plans to exempt any country or company from new tariff programs currently in place. "If we do not reach the agreement we hope for, we will return to the previous tariffs," he stressed.
The mentioned taxes include counterpart taxes, targeting many large trading partners.
In a cabinet meeting after a day of postponement, President Trump said a trade deal with a country was getting very close, but did not say which country. He emphasized that all agreements reached must be based on the principle of fairness and mutual benefit.
Mr Trump's statement clearly reflects the tough trade strategy that the US administration is pursuing, with the goal of forcing foreign partners to make more concession on economic and tariff issues.
In the context of many fluctuations in international politics, this approach is expected to bring more favorable trade terms to Washington, but also comes with the risk of causing tension in relations with long-standing partners.
