No.1 Opportunity for 2025 [Take Action Now!]

Starlink's potential IPO Could Be the Biggest in History--Silicon Valley insider James Altucher has uncovered a way to profit BEFORE the IPO--with as little as $50. Musk's $180B giant is set to launch--will you miss out? Claim your spot before it's too late.

Trump's trade blitz produces few deals but lots of uncertainty

PAUL WISEMAN
July 09, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump and his advisers promised a lightning round of global trade negotiations with dozens of countries back in April.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro predicted "90 deals in 90 days.'' Administration officials declared that other countries were desperate to make concessions to avoid the massive import taxes - tariffs -- that Trump was threatening to plaster on their products starting July 9.

But the 90 days have come and gone. And the tally of trade deals stands at two - one with the United Kingdom and one with Vietnam. Trump has also announced the framework for a deal with China, the details of which remain fuzzy.

Trump has now extended the deadline for negotiations to Aug. 1 and tinkered with his threatened tariffs, leaving the global trading system pretty much where it stood three months ago -- in a state of limbo as businesses delay decisions on investments, contracts and hiring because they don't know what the rules will be.

"It's a rerun, basically,'' said William Reinsch, a former U.S. trade official who's now an adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. Trump and his team "don't have the deals they want. So they're piling on the threats."

The pattern has repeated itself enough times to earn Trump the label TACO -- an acronym coined by The Financial Times' Robert Armstrong that stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out."

"This is classic Trump: Threaten, threaten more, but then extend the deadline," Reinsch said. "July 30 arrives, does he do it again if he still doesn't have the deals?'' (Trump said Tuesday that there will be no more extensions.)

The deal drought represents a collision with reality.

Negotiating simultaneously with every country on earth was always an impossible task, as Trump himself belatedly admitted last month in an interview with the Fox News Channel. ("There's 200 countries,'' the president said. "You can't talk to all of them.'') And many trading partners -- such as Japan and the European Union -- were always likely to balk at Trump's demands, at least without getting something in return.

"It's really, really hard to negotiate trade agreements," which usually takes several months even when it involves just one country or a small regional group, said Chad Bown, an economic adviser in the Obama White House and now senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. "What the administration is doing is negotiating a bunch of these at the same time.''

The drama began April 2 - "Liberation Day,'' Trump called it -- when the tariff-loving president announced a so-called baseline 10% import tax on everybody and what he called "reciprocal'' levies of up to 50% on countries with which the United States runs trade deficits.

The 10% baseline tariffs appear to be here to stay. Trump needs them to raise money to patch the hole his massive tax-cut bill is blasting into the federal budget deficit.

By themselves, the baseline tariffs represent a massive shift in American trade policy: Tariffs averaged around 2.5% when Trump returned to the White House and were even lower before he started raising them in his first term.

But the reciprocal tariffs are an even bigger deal.

In announcing them, Trump effectively blew up the rules governing world trade. For decades, the United States and most other countries abided by tariff rates set through a series of complex negotiations known as the Uruguay round. Countries could set their own tariffs - but under the "most favored nation'' approach, they couldn't charge one country more than they charged another.

Now Trump is setting the tariff rates himself, creating "tailor-made trade plans for each and every country on this planet,'' in the words of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

But investors have recoiled at the audacious plan, fearing that it will disrupt trade and damage the world economy. Trump's Liberation Day tariffs, for instance, set off a four-day rout in global financial markets. Trump blinked. Less than 13 hours after the reciprocal tariffs took effect April 9, he abruptly suspended them for 90 days, giving countries time to negotiate with his trade team.

Despite the Trump administration's expressions of confidence, the talks turned into a slog.

"Countries have their own politics, their own domestic politics," Reinsch said. "Trump structured this ideally so that all the concessions are made by the other guys and the only U.S. concession is: We don't impose the tariffs.''

But countries like South Korea and Japan needed "to come back with something,'' he said. Their thinking: "We have to get some concessions out of the United States to make it look like this is a win-win agreement and not a we-fold-and-surrender agreement. "

Japan, for example, wanted relief from another Trump tariff -- 50% levies on steel and aluminum.

Countries may also be hesitant to reach a deal with the United States while the Trump administration conducts investigations that might result in new tariffs on a range of products, including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Trump on Monday sent letters to Japan, South Korea and 12 other countries, saying he'd hit them with tariffs Aug. 1 if they couldn't reach an agreement. The levies were close to what he'd announced on April 2; Japan's, for example, would be 25%, compared to the 24% unveiled April 2.

Trump did sign an agreement last month with the United Kingdom that, among other provisions, reduced U.S. tariffs on British automotive and aerospace products while opening the U.K. market for American beef and ethanol. But the pact kept the baseline tariff on British products mostly in place, underlining Trump's commitment to the 10% tax despite the United States running a trade surplus -- not a deficit -- with the U.K. for 19 straight years, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

On July 2. Trump announced a deal with Vietnam. The Vietnamese agreed to let U.S. products into the country duty free while accepting a 20% tax on their exports to the United States, Trump said, though details of the agreement have not been released.

The lopsided deal with Vietnam suggests that Trump can successfully use the tariff threat to bully concessions out of smaller economies.

"They just can't really negotiate in the same way that the (European Union) or Korea or Japan (or) Canada can negotiate with the United States,'' said Dan McCarthy, principal in McCarthy Consulting and a former official with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the Biden administration. "A lot of (smaller) countries just want to get out of this and are willing to cut their losses.''

But wrangling a deal with bigger trading partners is likely to remain tougher.

"The U.S. is gambling that these countries will ultimately be intimidated and fold," Reinsch said. "And the countries are gambling that the longer this stretches out, and the longer it goes without Trump producing any more deals, the more desperate he gets; and he lowers his standards.

"It's kind of a giant game of chicken.''

Continue Reading...

Popular

Stellar Lumens (XLM) Surges As Bitcoin Dominance Lifts Altcoin Market

Stellar Lumens (CRYPTO: XLM) is rocketing higher Friday afternoon, posting double-digit gains in a broad-based rally sparked by Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) historic price movement.

Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Offers Seniors A $6,000 'Bonus' Tax Deduction: Here's How You Qualify For The Benefit

Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill offers a $6,000 senior bonus deduction from 2025-28. Couples can save $12,000. Retirees with incomes up to $75,000 benefit most.

Make This Move Before Nvidia's Critical Update (Unique Play) - Ad

Nvidia's CEO is about to say five simple words that could ignite the next explosive phase of the AI boom. It's not about tariffs or China--but it could change everything. This moment could define the biggest profit wave yet.

Donald Trump's Approval Rating Jumps Among Baby Boomers — Here's What's Driving It

President Trump's approval rating among Baby Boomers has seen a significant surge, potentially solidifying his political base as we approach the 2026 midterm elections.

Social Security Administration Sends 'Unbelievable' Email On Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill': Report

Email from SSA claims Trump's tax law will eliminate taxes on Social Security benefit. Critics call it politically motivated and incorrect.

How to Hack a $1.3T Market - Ad

Forget concrete. The new foundation for real estate success is digital, and Pacaso leads the way. Their tech unlocks a $1.3T real estate market. They've already earned $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history and reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Mexico's president calls march against mass tourism 'xenophobic.' Critics blame government failures

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A fierce protest in Mexico City was fueled by government failures and active promotion to attract digital nomads, according to experts, who said tension had been mounting for years.

Ex-Trump Family Attorney Raises Alarms Over Trump's Actions as President: 'I Have Never Been As Concerned'

Abbe Lowell expressed serious concerns about the potential harm that the current administration could cause to the country's institutions.

Elon's New Device Could Launch Biggest IPO of the Decade - Ad

Elon Musk's new device is being called a "game-changer"-and even the White House is using this tech. Jeff Brown says it could launch Musk's next trillion-dollar company and make early investors rich. You can claim a stake now for as little as $500.

Diddy Jury Deadlocked On Racketeering Conspiracy Charge As Verdicts Reached On Sex Trafficking Counts — Jurors To Return Wednesday

Jurors in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial reached verdicts on four charges related to sex trafficking but remain deadlocked on the racketeering conspiracy charge, with deliberations set to continue.

Datadog Stock Surges On S&P 500 Inclusion

Datadog Inc (NASDAQ:DDOG) shares are trading higher in Wednesday's after-hours session after it was announced that the company will join the S&P 500.

Cold War Discovery Could Unlock $100 Trillion in Wealth - Ad

Jeff Brown recently traveled to a ghost town in the middle of an American desert... To investigate what could be the biggest technology story of this decade. In short, he believes what he's holding in his hand is the key to the $100 trillion AI boom... And only one company here in the U.S. can mine this obscure metal.

CoreWeave CEO Bets On 'Custom-Built Software Stack' To Outpace Rivals— But Calls Oracle A 'Formidable Competitor'

In a recent interview with CNBC, CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) CEO Michael Intrator acknowledged Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) as a strong rival in the artificial intelligence infrastructure sector.

BigBear.ai, AMD, QuantumScape, Coinbase, Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

U.S. stocks ended the day on a high note, with the Nasdaq gaining over 1.4% on Tuesday to 19,912.53. The Dow also traded up 1.2% to 43,089.02, while the S&P 500 rose by 1.1% to 6,092.18. These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day:

Buffett's Favorite Chart Just Hit 209% - Here's What That Means For Gold - Ad

Buffett's favorite market signal just hit its highest level in history-stocks are more overvalued than 1929. He's sitting on $325B in cash... and may be about to buy one overlooked gold miner. I've identified it-plus 4 others with up to 100X potential.

Hong Kong's security net extends beyond arrests as small businesses pressured

HONG KONG (AP) — It’s been years since all but silenced pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong. But a crackdown on dissent in the semiautonomous Chinese city is still expanding, hitting restaurants, bookstores and other small businesses.

These are the celebs who are attending Jeff Bezos’ Venice wedding

VENICE, Italy (AP) — arrived in Venice on Thursday, leading a star-studded guest list of celebrities descending on the lagoon city for the weekend wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.

Is Elon's Empire Crumbling? - Ad

Jeff Brown - the legend who called Tesla and Nvidia early - says Elon is about to launch a $25T AI revolution. This isn't another chatbot. It's real-world AI that could 14X the impact of ChatGPT. But after July 23rd, it may be too late.

Iran’s president orders country to suspend cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog IAEA

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s president on Wednesday ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with after American and Israeli airstrikes hit its most-important nuclear facilities, likely further limiting inspectors' ability to track Tehran's program that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels.

Do These 4 Things to Your Bank Account Now ... - Ad

A sweeping U.S. policy could soon let the government track-or even freeze-your bank account. But there are 4 simple steps you can take right now to protect your savings before it's potentially too late.

Trump accuses Brazilian authorities of 'witch hunt' against ex-President Jair Bolsonaro

SAO PAULO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Brazilian authorities over what he called “a witch hunt” against former President and said he will be “closely monitoring” .

Meta, KKR, Lululemon And An Industrial Stock On CNBC's 'Final Trades'

Experts predict KKR, Lululemon, Meta Platforms, and Rockwell Automation to perform well.

Buffett's Next Big Investment... Is It This Gold Play? - Ad

Buffett's $325B cash pile is losing value fast - and one gold miner could be his next move. It trades at a 43% discount to its free cash flow, and fits his criteria to a T. With gold set to soar and valuations stretched, now's your chance to front-run Buffett before August 15.

Trump's Tariffs, Boeing's Blowout, Tesla's Robotaxi, BYD's European Triumph And GM's Massive Recall: This Week In Mobility

This week's business and finance highlights include Japan's rejection of Trump's auto tariffs, Boeing's scrutiny over a mid-air incident, Tesla's Robotaxi launch, BYD's dominance in Europe, and GM's massive vehicle recall.

Greenland has a message for the rest of the world: Come visit

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — has a message for the rest of the world: We’re waiting for you.

A Historic Gold Announcement Is About to Rock Wall Street - Ad

The greatest investor of all time is about to validate what Garrett Goggin has been saying for months: Gold is entering a once-in-a-generation mania. Front-running Buffett has never been more urgent - and four tiny miners could be your ticket to 100X gains.

What's in Trump's big bill that passed Congress and will soon become law

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans muscled President Donald Trump's tax and spending cut bill through the House on Thursday, the final step necessary to get the bill to his desk by the GOP's self-imposed deadline of July 4th.

No.1 Opportunity for 2025 [Take Action Now!] - Ad

Starlink's potential IPO Could Be the Biggest in History--Silicon Valley insider James Altucher has uncovered a way to profit BEFORE the IPO--with as little as $50. Musk's $180B giant is set to launch--will you miss out? Claim your spot before it's too late.

Goldman Just Launched Two New Bond ETFs; Here's Why Investors Should Pay Attention

Goldman Sachs Asset Management debuts two new actively managed fixed income ETFs in response to rising demand for active strategies in a volatile rate landscape.

Make This Move Before Nvidia's Critical Update (Unique Play) - Ad

Nvidia's CEO is about to say five simple words that could ignite the next explosive phase of the AI boom. It's not about tariffs or China--but it could change everything. This moment could define the biggest profit wave yet.

Vinod Khosla Recalls Betting On OpenAI After Elon Musk Backed Off Funding: Google Was Moving Very 'Slow,' Baidu Was Stealing Talent

Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla revealed how Elon Musk's funding withdrawal from OpenAI created the investment opportunity that led to his conviction bet on the artificial intelligence startup

US brings charges in North Korean remote worker scheme that officials say funds weapons program

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department announced criminal charges Monday in connection with a scheme by North Korea to fund its weapons program through the salaries of remote information technology workers employed unwittingly by U.S. companies.

How to Hack a $1.3T Market - Ad

Forget concrete. The new foundation for real estate success is digital, and Pacaso leads the way. Their tech unlocks a $1.3T real estate market. They've already earned $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history and reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Nvidia B300 Chips Order Touted By Nayib Bukele's Bitcoin Office — Why Does El Salvador Want These Powerful AI Processors?

El Salvador, under the presidency of Nayib Bukele, placed an order for Nvidia Corp.'s (NASDAQ:NVDA) B300 chips, a powerful artificial intelligence processor that is not yet available to most of the world.

Telegram's Rumored IPO: What Investors Should Know

The buzz around Telegram's potential initial public offering (IPO) has intensified since the company rolled out $1.7 billion in eurobonds.

Elon's New Device Could Launch Biggest IPO of the Decade - Ad

Elon Musk's new device is being called a "game-changer"-and even the White House is using this tech. Jeff Brown says it could launch Musk's next trillion-dollar company and make early investors rich. You can claim a stake now for as little as $500.

This Quantum Computing Stock Just Raised $1 Billion — And Analyst Says It's Only Getting Started

Quantum computing firm IonQ Inc.  (NYSE: IONQ) saw a price target hike from Benchmark after the company successfully raised $1 billion through an equity offering at $55.49 per share, a notable 25% premium to the closing price last Thursday.

Trending Now

Information, charts or examples are for illustration and educational purposes only and not for individualized investment management This message contains commercial elements, such as advertising. We only send these offers to those who have opted in to our newsletter. Past performance is not indicative of future results. For these reasons we strongly suggest trading in a DEMO/Simulated account. The information provided by us is for educational and informational purposes only. We make no representations or warranties concerning the products, practices or procedures of any company or entity mentioned or recommended and have not determined if the statements and opinions of the advertiser are accurate, correct or truthful. If you use, act upon or make decisions in reliance on information contained or any external source linked within it, you do so at your own peril and agree to hold us, our officers, directors, shareholders, affiliates and agents without fault.

Copyright finstrategist.com
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service