Trump on Possibility of Extending Reciprocal Tariff Suspension: 'We'll See'

U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 10th (local time) regarding the possibility of extending the reciprocal tariff suspension after 90 days, 'We'll see.'

President Trump, at a cabinet meeting held at the White House that day, responded to the possibility of extending the 90-day suspension period for the application of additional tariffs on countries subject to reciprocal tariffs other than China by saying, 'We have to see what happens then.'

At the same time, he said that if negotiations with countries subject to reciprocal tariffs are not concluded within the 90-day suspension period, the original reciprocal tariff rates set for each country will be reinstated.

President Trump decided to apply only a 10% basic tariff for 90 days to over 70 countries subject to reciprocal tariffs, except for China, about 13 hours after starting to impose reciprocal tariffs on countries on the 9th.

While over 70 countries other than China had the application of the additional amount (the figure minus 10% from the reciprocal tariff rate) suspended for 90 days, a total tariff rate of 145% (accumulated since the start of the Trump administration's second term) was applied to China.

While China imposed an 84% retaliatory tariff against the U.S. during the tariff-related tit-for-tat, it has not yet responded with a corresponding tariff increase to President Trump's decision on the 9th to raise the tariff rate on China by 41 percentage points, instead adjusting its response level by pulling out the card of restricting American movies.

Along with this, President Trump evaluated the European Union (EU), which decided to suspend retaliatory tariffs against U.S. steel tariffs for 90 days, as 'very wise.'

President Trump also claimed that the U.S.-Japan Mutual Defense Treaty is 'one-sided' in favor of Japan.

He pointed out that while the treaty obligates the U.S. to defend Japan, there is no obligation for Japan to defend the U.S. if attacked, saying, 'We spend hundreds of billions of dollars to protect them, while they pay nothing.'

Reporter Jeongdong No, Hankyung.com dong2@hankyung.com