Amid growing global market jitters, U.S. President Donald Trump has firmly dismissed the possibility of a “pause” on tariffs during trade negotiations, asserting that the United States will continue pushing for what he termed as “fair deals” with its trading partners.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, Trump stated, “We’re not looking at that,” when asked about pausing tariff implementations. He emphasized that ongoing negotiations would not interfere with tariff plans, and countries failing to reach acceptable terms would face substantial duties.
Highlighting recent tensions with China, Trump criticized Beijing’s retaliatory 34% tariff hike, warning, “If that tariff isn’t removed by tomorrow at 12 o’clock, we’re putting a 50 per cent on above the tariffs that we put on.” He also claimed that China’s rise was enabled by past U.S. leadership, adding, “They’ve become a rich country because of people who were in the White House.”
Trump positioned his tough tariff strategy as a necessary move to correct long-standing trade imbalances and reduce the national debt, which he noted had soared to $36 trillion. “We’re just going to have one shot at this… and I’ll tell you what: it’s an honour to do it,” he said.
When asked if tariffs could be both permanent and negotiable, Trump said, “They can both be true.” He insisted that the U.S. would pursue fair agreements with all nations, but would disengage if terms were not met: “If we don’t [get a fair deal], we’re going to have nothing to do with them.”
The President also targeted the European Union, accusing it of being designed to undermine U.S. trade interests. He pointed to a disparity in car exports, claiming, “They’re sending millions and millions of cars into the U.S., but we don’t have a car that’s been sold to the European Union.”
In response, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU’s openness to dialogue, saying on X (formerly Twitter): “Europe is ready to negotiate with the US. We have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods… But we’re also prepared to respond with countermeasures.”
As tensions mount and tit-for-tat tariffs ripple through global markets, Trump’s hardline stance signals little intention of backing down from his protectionist trade agenda.
