MORRISTOWN, UNITED STATES: US President Donald Trump said Friday that he had signed 12 trade letters to be sent out next week ahead of an impending deadline for his tariffs to take effect.
“I signed some letters and they’ll go out on Monday, probably 12,“ Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that the countries that the letters would be sent to will be announced on the same day.
His comments come days before steeper duties -- which the president said Thursday would range between 10 and 70 percent -- are set to take effect on dozens of economies, from Taiwan to the European Union.
The tariffs were part of a broader announcement in April where Trump imposed a 10 percent duty on goods from almost all trading partners, with a plan to step up these rates for a select group within days.
But he swiftly paused the hikes until July 9, allowing for trade talks to take place.
Countries have been pushing to strike deals that would help them avoid these elevated duties.
So far, the Trump administration has unveiled deals with the United Kingdom and Vietnam, while Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily lower staggeringly high levies on each other's products.
As his July 9 deadline approaches, Trump has repeatedly said he plans to inform countries of US tariff rates by sending them letters.
Aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said sending notices would be much easier than “sitting down and working 15 different things.”
He added: “You know, with the UK, we did that. And it was great for both parties. With China, we did that, and I think it’s very good for both parties.”
But he said it was “much easier to send a letter saying, ‘Listen, we know we have a certain deficit, or in some cases a surplus, but not too many. And... this is what you have to pay, if you want to do business (with) the United States.’”
