The Trump administration wants to see plans to remove non-tariff trade barriers and promise to buy U.S. factories and produce.
US trade officials have sent “friendly reminders” that trade negotiation deadlines are due, said Karoline Leavitt, White House press director.
Leavitt confirmed a report from Reuters at a press conference on June 3rd.
A Reuters report released Tuesday morning said that countries engaged in trade negotiations with the US would require that by June 4th they send “best offers” to “accelerate” their “best offers.” A copy of the draft letter seen by Reuters said the US wanted to see plans to improve trade barriers for non-Calif. and that foreign countries are committed to purchasing industry and agricultural products.
Additionally, according to a Reuters article, the US calls for a commitment to digital trade and economic security.
“[President Donald Trump]is hoping for a good deal and we’re on track for that,” Levitt said.
The Wednesday deadline for the “best offer” comes ahead of the closure of a 90-day grace period for so-called mutual tariffs announced by the president earlier this year.
Initially, after announcing sudden tariffs in almost every country exporting goods to the US, Trump has changed courses and said all of those countries will assess a baseline tariff of 10% for 90 days to allow bilateral trade negotiations. The grace period is set to expire in early July.
Many countries’ representatives, most importantly, Japan, India and Vietnam have spoken with Washington about establishing a new bilateral trade agreement, but so far, solely only one person. The US and the UK established terms in May for a new bilateral trade agreement.
On Tuesday, Leavitt said that a major US trade negotiator led by Secretary Commerce Howard Lutnick and secretary of Treasury Scott Bescent is “in discussions with many of its major trading partners around the world.”
New tariffs and trade measures announced since Trump’s inauguration in January have become a critical issue for the Second Trump administration. In addition to mutual tariffs, the US government has issued sudden collections for imports from China and new obligations for steel, aluminum, automobiles and items imported from Mexico and Canada.
In May, the US and China announced that they had reached the first trade agreement to reduce tariffs to about 10%, to more than 100%, while the two countries pursue long-term bilateral agreements that address trade and other geopolitical issues.
Furthermore, the authority of the administrative agency to assess tariffs has been challenged in federal courts. As of June 3, the stay issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on May 29 has suspended its May 28 ruling from the U.S. Court of International Trade, which would suspend tariffs assessed under the authority recognized by the International Emergency Economic Force Act.
