Trump Says He'll Set Trade Terms, Doesn't Need Tariff Deals

[Zorro]

Source: Bloomberg News

US President Donald Trump said he would dictate tariff levels for US trading partners looking to avoid higher duties, appearing to move away from the idea that he would engage in back-and-forth negotiations.

“We’re going to put very fair numbers down, and we’re going to say, here’s — what this country, what we want. And congratulations, we have a deal. And they’ll either say ‘great,’ and they’ll start shopping, or they’ll say, not good,’” Trump said Tuesday at the White House as he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“It’s going to be a very fair number, it’ll be a low number. We’re not looking to hurt countries,” he added.

Trump’s comments come as US trading partners rush to secure deals with the administration to avoid higher levies he has threatened. The US president said Sunday the first deals could come as soon as this week. But the president’s latest comments indicate he could continue to change his approach.

Financial markets had eagerly anticipated the first announcements to ease worries about the impact the US president’s trade policies threaten to have on the global economy. Trump said he was tired of questions about when deals would be struck.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-06/trump-says-he-ll-set-trade-terms-doesn-t-need-tariff-deals?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc0NjU1MTMwMywiZXhwIjoxNzQ3MTU2MTAzLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTVlNMRDJEV1JHRzAwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJDNjgyQTUwQzJCRDM0MTFCQTgwQjEwQjZEQjczQzM1MSJ9.Fa6MBWaPVxoXkTl_1raG-5IbII8cr1wzHtvGx8ewjY8

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We are sooooo fucked...

[relayerbob]

1. "Financial markets had eagerly anticipated the first announcements"

And are down sharply again today

[Quiet Em]

2. At this point it's quite obvious there are no deals on the table

I suspect countries are forming their own trading partners and moving on without us. Nobody wants to make a deal with him. Nobody trusts him.

[Irish_Dem]

22. Ys. The only deals being made are shady corruption deals personally benefiting the Trump crime family.

[ananda]

29. I suspect you are right.

Why would anyone in their right mind try to deal with
a fucking crazy maniac with delusions of power that
doesn't exist.

[LiberalArkie]

3. How in the world does our fearless leader believe that he running a country not even 250 years old can out maneuver

a nation that started back in 7000 BCE? We are not even at the toddler stage yet in this world. But as a baby we can still set fire to this world. We just need better parenting

[CaptainTruth]

10. I keep thinking about this cartoon...

[Ray Bruns]

18. Because he's stupid. That's why.

[Raven123]

4. Translation: No one is kissing Trump's a$$

Except for the GOP

[underpants]

5. He said in the Time interview that the deals would be the deals he decides

In other words all the talk of negotiations was complete BS.

You’re probably as shocked as I am.

[The Madcap]

6. "We're not looking to hurt countries..."

only Americans

[CaptainTruth]

7. Trump is such a dumbass.

It's hard to believe just how ignorant he is.

Just stunning stupidity.

[Dan]

54. He is so strong and powerful stupid.

[JBTaurus83]

8. "Trump said he was tired of questions about when deals would be struck."

LOL, he is a fucking moron. Of course companies want to know if they will be able to sell their products or if they need to commence with more layoffs.

[Irish_Dem]

24. Trump created the emergency and now is bored with it.

He cannot be bothered w/people trying to save their countries and businesses he put in danger.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. He went from "I have '200 deals'"

to "We don't have to have any deals".

And the media will accept that and will then pivot to "BUTBIDEN".

[RockRaven]

14. He's the kid who didn't get picked for the team shouting they didn't want to play anyway.

[travelingthrulife]

49. Yup. the media plays right along with him. sick.

[Tarzanrock]

11. Why should they?

China won the last WTO trade complaint it filed against the U.S. The law is on China's side. The U.S. has acted illegally in violation of international trade agreements. In 2022, the WTO ruled that the US violated international trade rules with its tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, following complaints from China, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. That was from the Turd's first term where the U.S. acted illegally. What we have here is a scofflaw President who illegally and intentionally and purposefully violates international trade laws and trade agreements.
China will also win their current WTO trade complaint it again recently filed against the U.S.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-files-complaint-with-wto-over-new-us-tariffs-2025-04-04/
China files complaint with WTO over new US tariffs
By Reuters
April 4, 20259:57 AM PDT
Summary

WTO confirms request for consultations
Consultation is first stage of formal dispute
WTO now has 60 days to try and find resolution
China announces 34% retaliatory tariffs on US goods

GENEVA, April 4 (Reuters) - China said it had opened a formal complaint against the new U.S. tariffs with the World Trade Organization on Friday, saying the measures violate WTO rules and requesting consultations.
Earlier, China announced retaliatory additional tariffs of 34% on U.S. goods, the most serious escalation in a trade war with President Donald Trump that has fed fears of a recession and touched off a global stock market rout.
"China has filed the WTO complaint with respect to the United States' measures," the Permanent Mission of China to the World Trade Organization said in a statement.
The new tariffs blatantly violate WTO rules, it added.
In the standoff between the world's top two economies, Beijing also announced controls on exports of some rare earths which it dominates, potentially cutting the U.S. off from critical minerals vital to everything from smartphones to electric car batteries and defence.
Trump on Wednesday announced China would be hit with a 34% tariff, on top of the 20% he previously imposed earlier this year, bringing the total new levies to 54% and close to the 60% figure he had threatened while on the campaign trail.
Chinese exporters, like those from other economies around the world, will face a 10% baseline tariff, as part of the new 34% levy, on almost all goods shipped to the world's largest consumer economy from Saturday before the remaining, higher "reciprocal tariffs" take effect from April 9.
China on Thursday urged the United States to immediately cancel its latest tariffs.
The WTO Secretariat confirmed to Reuters on Friday that it had received the request for consultations from China.
Bilateral consultations are the first stage of formal dispute settlement. If no solution is found within 60 days, China could request adjudication by the Geneva-based organisation's Dispute Settlement Body.

Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, Editing by Ludwig Burger, Thomas Seythal and Elaine Hardcastle

[Bev54]

19. America will lose most every complaint to WTO, however

Those complaints take years to come to any resolve, years that nobody has time for. It will have to be adjudicated in the US courts and many suits are likely coming.

[Owens]

12. What happened to all those countries lining up to make a deal?

[Ray Bruns]

20. You're kidding, right?

[LiberalArkie]

28. Kenya, Sudan, Somalia? Those the ones?

[OverBurn]

42. I hear the penguins have caved to all demands. It's was a illegal "of course" under the table fish deal.

[RockRaven]

13. There is going to be a widespread economic downturn in all facets of American trade

because The Convicted Felon may be able to set terms himself, but he cannot force anyone to actually execute trade under terms they don't like. And he is ignorant about everything and everyone, so he has no idea what sort of terms will or won't result in commercial activity actually taking place.

[getagrip_already]

15. Nobody will negotiate with us, so we are negotiating with ourselves.....

And we arent doing well.

[erronis]

31. Images of trump and cabinet in autofellatio.

[Jarqui]

16. If US customers were not getting the best prices/values/warranties/deals from these countries,

why would they continue to buy from those countries?

They wouldn't.
Like any consumer, they would typically buy from the countries offering the best prices/values/warranties/deals, etc.

Domestic American manufacturers can't compete.

So Americans will pay Trump's tariffs in the hope more can be made domestically.
It can take years to set up a good, efficient manufacturing facility.
It won't be resolved before 2028

[travelingthrulife]

50. They won't produce domestically until Americans are willing to work for a few dollars

daily without benefits or days off.

They will have to sell their children into slavery as well.

[Martin68]

17. Consideration-of-a-plan-looking-for-a-strategy#2,492.6

[Baitball Blogger]

21. Reframing the damage.

[Irish_Dem]

25. Exactly. Pretending he is winning, not losing. And that he is still in control.

[bluestarone]

23. He KNOWS he F'up

Just try things for fun. (not fun for us) He's a dirty bastard!

[surfered]

26. Unlike W, Trump does not believe in strategery.

[erronis]

32. W had some competent, if evil advisors. trmp just has the evil.

[Botany]

27. Japan's finance minister calls US Treasury holdings 'a card' in tariff talks with Trump

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220295419

************

Krasnov is in way over his head. Other countries own a lot of American debt and
they will beat Krasnov like a red headed stepchild on rented mule.

Btw what happened to all “the calls I’m getting from people kissing my ass for a deal?”

[LoisB]

30. Wait. I thought IT already had tariff "deals" with 200 countries that kept calling and calling to

beg to kiss his ass? IT was lying? Say it ain't so.

[erronis]

34. I think those ass-kissing deal calls came from within the US. Probably wannabe courtesans.

[Botany]

35. So much of our main stream media is in the bag for the G.O. P.. Krasnov's people call me is a lie.

People (except for Vlad) don’t just call up the POTUS. Even world leaders have to set up
a call to the President.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

36. Translation-no one will make a deal with trump

[patphil]

37. You beat me to it.

[twodogsbarking]

38. He is saying he will make them an offer they can't refuse.

[republianmushroom]

39. In other words,

they shoving my tariffs up my ass and braking them them off there. Now it is back to the drawing boards. Must save face, somehow.

[Exp]

40. On the fast track to stagflation. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. "congratulations"? It's not a deal if one party says "not good". . . . nt

[WestMichRad]

43. Interpretation:

“You’ll get a better deal when I get my payoff. No payoff, then screw you and your country.”

[Figarosmom]

44. Sounds like no one is meeting with him

Or even calling to meet. I think most countries are just writing us off for trade as long as this creep is in charge. Evidently replacing suppliers for what we supply isn't a problem.

[Ohioboy]

45. We all know he's been too busy golfing and thinking about stuff like Alcatraz to be making any deals.

If this loser had as many people as he claimed trying to make deals with him, he would be hard at work negotiating. Instead, he's busy making a fool of himself on the world stage.

[ThoughtCriminal]

46. Short Version

He's not getting deals.

[bmichaelh]

47. Worst President Ever

I heard stories that some of MAGA thinks it will work in the end.

They cannot pick one event from his life when it worked in the end.

It was science and vaccines that helped us during COVID, not Donald Trump.

He actually made things work.

He has had multiple bankruptcies; blew up a sport franchise, etc. etc.

His staff talks about a legacy; he already has one.

Historians rank his first presidency at the bottom of the list.

He has surrounded himself with 'Yes' men and women; no one to give him hard facts.

He has done nothing to erase that first term's terrible legacy.

[travelingthrulife]

48. So...in other words..he couldn't make any deals.

[C_U_L8R]

51. The Art of the Invisible Deal

a.k.a. the Emperor's New Deal, arriving in two weeks

[Prairie Gates]

52. Deals coming in the next two weeks

Right after the infrastructure bill and the healthcare plan.

[Ferrets are Cool]

53. Someone hand him a larger shovel with which to dig his own grave more quickly.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

55. Maddow Blog-Trump's 'trade deal' with the United Kingdom isn't yet an actual trade deal

Last edited Fri May 9, 2025, 01:21 PM - Edit history (1)

The president said he’s reached a “conclusive” and “comprehensive” trade deal with the U.K. Reality suggests otherwise.

Whether Navarro understands this or not, Trump's "conclusive trade deal" with the UK is neither conclusive nor a trade deal: www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-05-08T21:12:39.154Z

Whether Navarro understands this or not, Trump's "conclusive trade deal" with the UK is neither conclusive nor a trade deal:

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-trade-deal-united-kingdom-isnt-yet-actual-trade-deal-rcna205623

It’s easy to understand why Donald Trump might be embarrassed by his lack of second-term trade deals. About a month ago, Peter Navarro, the White House’s top trade adviser, boasted in March, “We’re going to run 90 deals in 90 days.” Navarro added that such a plan “is possible” in part because “the boss is going to be the chief negotiator.”....

On Wednesday night, the president used his social media platform to announce that the White House had struck a “MAJOR TRADE DEAL.” The following morning, he added that a “full and comprehensive” trade agreement is in place with the United Kingdom, which was soon followed by another online item in which Trump claimed, “Together with our strong Ally, the United Kingdom, we have reached the first, historic Trade Deal since Liberation Day.”

It all sounded rather exciting — right up until the public learned that the “trade deal” isn’t an actual trade deal, at least not yet. NBC News reported:

The U.S. is working toward finalizing a narrow trade deal with the United Kingdom, President Donald Trump said Thursday, a small step as the White House pursues an aggressive tariff agenda across the globe. According to a document furnished by the U.K., the agreement will see duties on U.K. car imports reduced from 27.5% to 10%, while tariffs on U.K. steel imports will be dropped. In return, the U.K. is lowering trade barriers on U.S. beef imports and ethanol.

The emerging picture is one in which the White House has settled on a non-binding framework for a possible future deal with the United States’ 11th largest trading partner. This sets the stage for a series of additional talks — negotiations that will likely last months — that may or may not lead to an agreement......

The problem, of course, is that the first part of the claim is plainly at odds with the second: If an agreement is still taking shape and is likely to undergo a series of changes, then the new framework obviously is neither “conclusive” nor “comprehensive.”

In his first term, Trump had an unfortunate habit of wildly exaggerating the scope and scale of his narrow trade agreements. In his second term, the Republican is apparently picking up where he left off.