Trump: "Willing to extend trade negotiation deadline, but likely unnecessary"

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on the 11th (local time) that he is open to extending the deadline for trade negotiations with global trading partners, but he does not think such an extension will be necessary. Previously, President Trump had set the negotiation deadline for the 8th of next month.

On this day, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—one of Washington, D.C.'s prominent cultural and artistic venues—President Trump responded to reporters' questions about his willingness to extend the trade negotiation deadline, saying, "Yes. But I don't think we will need to."

On April 2, President Trump unveiled a policy to impose reciprocal tariffs by country. On the 9th of the same month, he announced that tariffs would be suspended for 90 days to facilitate trade negotiations, and individual negotiations have since been ongoing with each country.

Treasury Secretary Scott Besant testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on the same day, stating that the U.S. government could extend the period for reciprocal tariff suspension for countries that are conducting trade negotiations in good faith. Secretary Besant is leading the trade negotiations.

Besant noted that among the 18 major U.S. trading partners, "most have come forward with good proposals and are negotiating in good faith. While it is up to President Trump to decide, I believe an extension (of the suspension) is possible if someone is negotiating sincerely."

However, President Trump's remarks suggest that an extension of the trade negotiation deadline is unlikely. At the venue, when asked which country might reach a trade agreement next after the United Kingdom and China, he said, "We are negotiating with Japan, and we are negotiating with Korea. We are negotiating with about 15 countries," adding, "But there are over 150 countries."

President Trump further said, "At a certain point, we will simply send out letters," explaining, "We will say, 'This is the deal,' and let them know they can either accept or reject it."

Regarding the timing of the letter, President Trump stated, "About a week and a half (ten days) or two weeks from now." This appears to mean that he will send out letters specifying the terms of reciprocal tariffs by country, requiring each country to decide whether to continue trading with the United States.

Jin Young-gi, Hankyung.com reporter young71@hankyung.com