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Greater than 50 nations have contacted White Home to begin commerce talks – Trump adviser
Greater than 50 nations have reached out to the White Home to start commerce talks, the US nationwide financial council director Kevin Hassett has advised ABC Information’ This Week programme. He stated:
I received a report from the USTR final evening (the workplace of the US commerce consultant) that greater than 50 nations have reached out to the president to start a negotiation.
However they’re doing that as a result of they perceive that they bear plenty of the tariff.
And so I don’t assume you will note an enormous impact on the patron within the US as a result of I do assume that the explanation why we’ve got a persistent, long term commerce deficit is these individuals have very inelastic provide.
They’ve been dumping items into the nation as a way to create jobs say in China.
Hasset denied that the tariffs had been a part of a technique by Trump to crash monetary markets to stress the US federal reserve to chop rates of interest, insisting there have been can be no “political coercion” of the central financial institution.
As we’ve got been reporting all through the day, items imported from dozens of nations and territories are actually going to be taxed at sharply greater charges, and that’s anticipated to drive up the prices of every little thing from automobiles to garments to computer systems.
These tariffs – which may run as excessive as 50% – are supposed to punish nations for commerce boundaries that Trump says unfairly restrict US exports and trigger it to run enormous commerce deficits.
It’s unclear whether or not the tariffs will likely be lengthy lasting or if Washington will decrease or drop them in response to different nations negotiating to cut back their very own tariffs and different commerce boundaries.
US retail giants predicted that costs had been “extremely seemingly” to begin rising for US nearly instantly after a 25% obligation got here into impact on exports from Mexico to the US.
Individuals have been warned to brace for greater costs extra usually too, with households fearing a recession sooner or later and better inflation due to tariffs.
Trump’s group has stated any brief time period shock to the economic system will likely be definitely worth the internet positives of the tariffs, which the US president claims will assist deliver manufacturing again to the states and enhance tax revenues.
Key occasions
Donald Trump’s treasury secretary Scott Bessent additionally stated that the tariffs had been a “one-time value adjustment.”
Talking to NBC’s Meet The Press, Bessent stated – in response as to whether he has expressed considerations to Donald Trump instantly that his tariff coverage may very well be inflationary:
“No, what I’ve stated are tariffs are a one-time value adjustment. So, there’s an enormous distinction between insipid, endemic inflation inside the system and constant value stage will increase and a one-time adjustment. However the different factor that we’re doing is we’re elevating wages for working Individuals. We’re bringing down regulation. So, , there are estimates that rules might value the typical family about $8,000, that after we get this tax invoice by means of, then we are going to make the tax ranges everlasting. And once more, the drop within the vitality costs, the drop in curiosity prices, I feel actual after-tax wages are going to go up for Individuals, and that’s what’s vital.”
In response as to whether the market disruption was at all times a part of the plan by Donald Trump’s administration, treasury secretary Scott Bessent advised NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday:
“Look, the markets are natural animals. And also you by no means know what the response goes to be. One factor that I can let you know, because the treasury secretary, what I’ve been very impressed with is the market infrastructure, that we had report quantity on Friday.
And every little thing is working very easily so the American individuals, they’ll take nice consolation in that. And by way of the market response, look, we get these short-term market reactions sometimes. The market constantly underestimates Donald Trump.
I do not forget that in 2016, the evening President Trump gained, the market crashed. And it turned out he was going to be essentially the most pro-business president in over a century, possibly within the historical past of the nation. And we went on to very excessive after-inflation returns for the following 4 years.”
Donald Trump’s 10% tariff on all imports from many nations, together with the UK, has come into pressure after 48 hours of turmoil.
The Guardian’s Aneesa Ahmed and Reuters experiences:
US customs brokers started accumulating the unilateral tariff at US seaports, airports and customs warehouses on Saturday, with greater levies on items from 57 bigger buying and selling companions attributable to begin subsequent week – together with from the EU, which will likely be hit with a 20% charge.
Trump’s sweeping modifications have roiled world markets, with China, hardest hit by the tariffs, asserting a slew of countermeasures, together with additional levies of 34% on all US items and export curbs on some uncommon earth minerals.
“The market has spoken,” the Chinese language international ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated in a publish on Fb on Saturday.
Regardless of the turmoil, Trump has continued to champion his “liberation day” tariffs.
For the total story, click on right here:
The European Union is ready to defend its pursuits with proportionate countermeasures in opposition to US president Donald Trump’s tariffs and can work with companions in direction of this finish, Fee president Ursula von der Leyen stated on Sunday after a phone name with UK prime minister Keir Starmer.
Von der Leyen additionally stated the 27-country bloc is dedicated to working carefully with Britain on safety and defence and that she was involved about Russia’s stalling of peace efforts in Ukraine.
She’s going to meet Starmer in London on April 24 on the event of the Worldwide Summit on the Way forward for Vitality Safety.
US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump will stay “for days and weeks.”
Talking to CBS Information’s Face the Nation, Lutnick stated:
“There’s no suspending. They’re positively going to remain in place for days and weeks.”
He additionally stated that some barren islands together with the Heard and McDonald Islands which have additionally been hit by Trump’s tariffs and are mosly populated by penguins had been additionally included on the listing so nations couldn’t use them as a loophole.
“What occurs is, when you depart something off the listing, the nations that attempt to principally arbitrage America, undergo these nations to us,” he stated.
European fee president ‘deeply involved’ by tariffs and vows to impose ‘countermeasures’ if vital
The EU is ready to defend its pursuits with proportionate countermeasures in opposition to Trump’s tariffs, the bloc’s fee president Ursula von der Leyen stated on Sunday after a phone name with Keir Starmer, the UK’s prime minister.
Right here is a part of the readout of the decision:
The President expressed her deep concern over the tariffs introduced by President Trump on 2 April and the hurt they pose to all nations—each by means of their direct and oblique results, together with on the world’s poorest nations.
Recognising that the tariffs characterize a serious turning level for america, she reaffirmed the EU’s dedication to participating in negotiations with the US, whereas making clear that the EU stands able to defend its pursuits by means of proportionate countermeasures if vital.
On the identical time, she emphasised her dedication to work with companions in responding to this new actuality for the worldwide economic system, acknowledging that every buying and selling associate will act in accordance with its personal priorities.
Trump final week put the EU into a gaggle of 60 nations topic to greater so-called “reciprocal” tariffs. He’s imposing a 20 % tariff on EU items coming into the US.
Von der Leyen has stated the EU has a “robust plan” to retaliate in opposition to the steep levies however would like to barter.
As my colleague Jennifer Rankin notes on this story, EU officers haven’t dominated out retaliatory measures on US companies, corresponding to suspending mental property rights. In idea, retaliation might goal US tech firms, banks and monetary service suppliers.
My colleague Edward Helmore has written a narrative about how recession fears are mounting in America within the wake of Trump’s tariff announcement final week. Right here is an extract from his piece:
JP Morgan analysts final week boosted their odds on a world recession to 60% and Individuals are bracing for a return of inflation – the factor that above all else seemingly doomed Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden…
On the streets of New York there was panic amongst some. In Washington Sq. Park, two sisters from Detroit had been sitting on a park bench close by the magnolia bushes now in bloom. Kathleen, a main college instructor, stated she anxious about whether or not there was a plan in place earlier than modifications are made.
“I wish to be optimistic, however I stay underneath an umbrella of fear with this administration,” Kathleen stated. “I fear in regards to the management, fear a couple of lack of continuity inside the management, and so many modifications without delay with no plan.”
Her sister, Elizabeth, stated she’d grown so anxious she’d stepped again from the information. “Our mum positively had an enormous soar in nervousness over this previous week over her investments. She labored exhausting for these and he or she lives on them – a retired schoolteacher, and the drop in shares very a lot impacts her day-to-day feeling of safety.”
Greater than 50 nations have contacted White Home to begin commerce talks – Trump adviser
Greater than 50 nations have reached out to the White Home to start commerce talks, the US nationwide financial council director Kevin Hassett has advised ABC Information’ This Week programme. He stated:
I received a report from the USTR final evening (the workplace of the US commerce consultant) that greater than 50 nations have reached out to the president to start a negotiation.
However they’re doing that as a result of they perceive that they bear plenty of the tariff.
And so I don’t assume you will note an enormous impact on the patron within the US as a result of I do assume that the explanation why we’ve got a persistent, long term commerce deficit is these individuals have very inelastic provide.
They’ve been dumping items into the nation as a way to create jobs say in China.
Hasset denied that the tariffs had been a part of a technique by Trump to crash monetary markets to stress the US federal reserve to chop rates of interest, insisting there have been can be no “political coercion” of the central financial institution.
As we’ve got been reporting all through the day, items imported from dozens of nations and territories are actually going to be taxed at sharply greater charges, and that’s anticipated to drive up the prices of every little thing from automobiles to garments to computer systems.
These tariffs – which may run as excessive as 50% – are supposed to punish nations for commerce boundaries that Trump says unfairly restrict US exports and trigger it to run enormous commerce deficits.
It’s unclear whether or not the tariffs will likely be lengthy lasting or if Washington will decrease or drop them in response to different nations negotiating to cut back their very own tariffs and different commerce boundaries.
US retail giants predicted that costs had been “extremely seemingly” to begin rising for US nearly instantly after a 25% obligation got here into impact on exports from Mexico to the US.
Individuals have been warned to brace for greater costs extra usually too, with households fearing a recession sooner or later and better inflation due to tariffs.
Trump’s group has stated any brief time period shock to the economic system will likely be definitely worth the internet positives of the tariffs, which the US president claims will assist deliver manufacturing again to the states and enhance tax revenues.
Abstract of the day thus far…
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Donald Trump’s 10% tariff on all imports from many nations, together with the UK, has come into pressure. It should seemingly push up costs for shoppers world wide. Some nations are going through further levies on imports.
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A number of the highest tariffs will likely be placed on imports from Asian nations, together with China, India, South Korea and Japan. EU exports will even have a 20% tariff.
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World leaders are mulling over how finest to reply to the sweeping tariffs, which threat sparking a world commerce warfare and recession.
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Indonesia and Taiwan stated on Sunday they gained’t impose retaliatory tariffs whereas Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington to fulfill Trump to attempt to get the president to decrease his levies.
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Vietnam’s chief has reportedly requested a delay of “at the least 45 days” to tariffs attributable to be imposed on Wednesday (Trump has slapped a 46% obligation on Vietnamese items coming into the US – the sixth-highest charge introduced final week).
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India additionally doesn’t plan to retaliate in opposition to Trump’s 26% tariff on its exports into the US, in keeping with experiences.
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The EU is more likely to approve its first set of focused countermeasures on as much as $28bn (£21.7bn; €25bn) of US imports within the coming days.
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Within the UK, which has been hit by Trump’s 10% “baseline” tariff, Keir Starmer stated he’s prepared to make use of industrial coverage to “shelter British enterprise from the storm”. “Outdated assumptions can not be taken without any consideration. The world as we knew it has gone. We should rise to fulfill the second,” the prime minister stated. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, stated the period of globalisation as we knew it has “come to an finish” within the wake of the brand new tariffs.
Edward Helmore
Ted Cruz, the US senator from Texas, has warned that his fellow Republicans threat a “massacre” within the 2026 midterm elections if Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs trigger a recession.
Cruz additionally warned that the president’s tariffs, in the event that they keep in place for lengthy and are met by world retaliation on American items, might set off a full-blown commerce warfare that “would destroy jobs right here at residence, and do actual harm to the US economic system”.
“100 years in the past, the US economic system didn’t have the leverage to have the form of impression we do now. However I fear, there are voices inside the administration that wish to see these tariffs proceed with no sign of ending,” he added.
The Texan’s feedback, made on his Verdict podcast on Friday, had been an additional signal that the imposition of worldwide “reciprocal” duties on imported items is inflicting unease amongst Republicans.
The Republican US senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa launched bipartisan laws on Thursday to grant Congress extra energy over putting tariffs on US buying and selling nations. The invoice, co-sponsored by the Democratic senator Maria Cantwell, would “reaffirm” the position of Congress in setting and approving commerce coverage.
You possibly can learn the total story right here:
Crowds of individuals offended about the best way Donald Trump is working the US rallied in scores of American cities on Saturday within the largest day of demonstrations but by an opposition motion.
The so-called “Arms Off!” demonstrations had been held in additional than 1,200 places in all 50 states by greater than 150 teams, together with civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists.
Demonstrators voiced anger over the administration’s strikes to fireplace 1000’s of federal employees, shut social safety administration area workplaces, successfully shutter whole businesses, deport immigrants, cut back protections for transgender individuals and lower funding for well being packages.
Coming days after Trump’s tariff announcement, gatherings had been additionally held exterior the US, together with within the European capital cities of London, Paris and Berlin, with many protestors there additionally expressing anger over the president’s new commerce insurance policies. Listed here are some footage of the demonstrations:
India doesn’t plan reciprocal tariffs – supply
India doesn’t plan to retaliate in opposition to Donald Trump’s 26% tariff on its exports into the US, an Indian authorities official advised Reuters, citing ongoing talks for a deal between the nations.
Narendra Modi’s administration has seemed right into a clause of Trump’s tariff order that provides a attainable reprieve for buying and selling companions who “take vital steps to treatment non-reciprocal commerce preparations”, stated the official, who declined to be named as the small print of the talks are confidential.
New Delhi sees a bonus in being one of many first nations to have began talks over a commerce take care of Washington, and is healthier positioned than Asian friends like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, which have been hit by greater US tariffs, a second authorities official advised the information wire, additionally declining to be named.
Whereas the US seems set to keep away from reciprocal tariffs from India, Taiwan and Indonesia the response from the European Union may very well be very totally different because it discusses imposing additional duties on US items this week. China has already imposed 34% retaliatory tariffs.

Heather Stewart
Probably the most wilfully damaging features of Donald Trump’s shock and awe commerce coverage is the imposition of punitive tariffs on growing nations throughout Asia, together with charges of 49% for Cambodia, 37% for Bangladesh, 48% for Laos.
For many years Washington had championed financial improvement by means of commerce. Now, similtaneously slashing abroad assist budgets and retreating from its position in supporting growing nations, it’s ripping up that concept totally.
As a substitute, Trump intends to impose his will on the US’s buying and selling companions. Some are all however powerless to actual concessions, given their small measurement, and dependence on the mighty American market.
Alice Oyaro, the chief government on the charity Rework Commerce, which works with producers in among the worst-hit nations, says: “Our largest concern is that the further prices are pushed all the way down to these within the provide chain who’re least capable of pay. Small farmers exporting every little thing from inexperienced beans to cocoa, and ladies employees in Bangladeshi factories are already discovering it exhausting to make ends meet. They may see their incomes squeezed much more.”
You possibly can learn the total piece from our economics editor right here
Vietnam seeks tariff delay
Vietnam’s chief has requested a delay of “at the least 45 days” to tariffs attributable to be imposed by america on 9 April, in keeping with a replica of a signed letter seen by Agence France-Presse, the wire service reported on Sunday.
The south-east Asian nation is going through 46% US tariffs, one of many highest ranges imposed by Donald Trump.
To Lam known as on Trump within the letter to assign a consultant to work with Vietnam’s deputy prime minister, Ho Duc Phoc, on resolving the problem, including that he hoped to fulfill Trump personally in Washington on the finish of Might.
Taiwan has ‘no plans’ for reciprocal tariffs, says president
Taiwan’s president has now stated there are no plans for reciprocal commerce tariffs in opposition to the US.
Reuters experiences that the 32% tariffs on Taiwanese items introduced by Donald Trump don’t apply to semiconductors, a serious export for the nation.
Assembly executives from small and medium-sized firms at his residence, the president, Lai Ching-te, stated given Taiwan’s dependence on commerce the economic system would inevitably have a tough time coping with the tariffs, however that he thought the impression may very well be minimised.
“Within the face of the US ‘reciprocal tariffs’, Taiwan has no plans to take tariff retaliation, and there will likely be no change within the funding commitments of enterprises to america so long as they’re within the nationwide curiosity,” he stated, in feedback supplied by his workplace.
Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, final month introduced a further $100bn funding within the US.
Taiwan will now work to take away commerce boundaries and produce other firms progressively improve their US investments. “Sooner or later, along with TSMC’s elevated funding, different industries, corresponding to electronics, data and communications, petrochemicals, and pure gasoline will be capable of improve funding within the US and deepen Taiwan-US industrial cooperation,” Lai stated.
As we talked about in an earlier publish, Taiwan, for whom the US is the island’s most vital worldwide backer within the face of mounting Chinese language stress over Beijing’s sovereignty claims, has not introduced any retaliatory tariffs.
However the nation’s president, Lai Ching-te, stated his authorities will take away commerce boundaries and Taiwanese firms will progressively improve their home investments. We will provide you with extra data on this as we get it.
Taiwan, which faces a brand new 32% tariff charge from the US, has already introduced T$88bn ($2.67bn; £2.1bn) in help for affected firms.
Taiwan runs a big commerce surplus with the US. Taiwanese officers have repeatedly stated commerce with America has been skewed by robust demand for Taiwanese know-how merchandise, corresponding to superior semiconductors – a sector dominated by the island.
Musk says he hopes for a ‘zero-tariff scenario’ between US and Europe
Elon Musk, who heads the so-called division of presidency effectivity as one among Donald Trump’s closest advisers, has stated he hopes to see full freedom of commerce between the US and Europe.
The Tesla CEO and proprietor of X was talking by way of video-link at a congress in Florence of Italy’s right-wing, co-ruling League Social gathering on Saturday. He was being interviewed by Italy’s hard-line deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini.
“On the finish of the day, I hope it’s agreed that each Europe and america ought to transfer ideally, in my opinion, to a zero tariff scenario, successfully making a free commerce zone between Europe and North America,” the billionaire stated.
“And extra freedom for individuals to maneuver between Europe and North America, if they need,” Musk stated, including, “that has actually been my recommendation to the president”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated on Thursday that the US’s commerce tariffs had been a mistake however their impression shouldn’t be overestimated and the response wanted to be fastidiously thought-about.
The Financial institution of Italy stated on Friday the euro zone’s third largest economic system would develop by simply 0.5% this yr, lower than half the federal government’s 1.2% forecast made in September.
Excessive-debt Italy has dedicated to bringing its deficit under the EU’s 3% of gross home product ceiling in 2026 from 3.4% in 2024, a process made tougher by its faltering financial development.