Trump on tariffs: August 1 deadline is firm but he is open to other ideas
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the August 1 deadline for new tariffs is firm, but he is open to alternative proposals from trade partners. He indicated a willingness to consider extensions if countries suggest different approaches. This announcement marks a significant escalation in the ongoing trade war, affecting both major suppliers like Japan and South Korea and smaller nations.
WASHINGTON, July 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said the August 1 effective date for U.S. tariffs was firm, but that he was open to extensions if countries made proposals.
Asked if the deadline was firm, Trump said: “I would say firm, but not 100% firm. If they call up and they say we’d like to do something a different way, we’re going to be open to that.”
Trump on Monday began telling trade partners - from powerhouse suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players - that sharply higher U.S. tariffs would start August 1, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched earlier this year.