The White House is celebrating having received 18 trade proposals from foreign governments thus far in response to President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs.
On April 22, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the advancements made in Trump’s negotiations with foreign governments to secure better trade agreements. Trump famously announced a wide range of reciprocal tariffs on what he called “Liberation Day,” April 2. His tariffs were designed to relatively match the tariffs that each foreign country have placed on products from the United States. Trump has made statements indicating that he wanted to eliminate the income tax and replace it with revenue from tariffs, but has also indicated that he placed these tariffs on foreign countries to force them to come to the negotiating table and agree to mutually eliminate tariffs and promote free trade.
Apparently, many countries have already contacted the Trump administration to begin negotiations, and at least 18 proposals have been sent to the president’s desk, according to Leavitt.
“I spoke to our entire trade team this morning. There is a lot of progress being made. We now have 18 proposals on paper that have been brought to the trade team,” the press secretary told reporters during a White House press briefing.
Leavitt went on to note that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro had been meeting with representatives from 34 different countries in the past week.
“We are moving at Trump speed to ensure these deals are made on behalf of the American worker and the American people,” she added.
Leavitt also highlighted a news story that has been flying under the radar this week: Vice President JD Vance’s announcement that the U.S. and India had finalized the “terms of reference” for a trade negotiation.
Vance shared this news while he was visiting India and meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“That is a big deal,” Leavitt noted. “We know, when we look at the numbers, the monetary trade barriers and the non-monetary trade barriers from India — they have been ripping off the United States and American workers for a very long time.”
“So the fact that the vice president, with Prime Minister Modi on that trip to India, announced these terms of reference, which is essentially a framework to move the ball forward to sign a good trade deal between our two nations is great progress and it speaks to the work ethic and the real labor that’s being put into this effort by the president’s trade team,” she added.
Leavitt was also asked about whether the trade proposals were enough for Trump to extend his 90-day pause on tariffs to most countries — which he announced a week after Liberation Day, stating that most countries would be facing a 10% rate rather than the higher amount he previously announced, noting that these tariffs would be in place while countries come to the negotiating table. However, he did increase the tariffs on communist China to a whopping 145% after they refused to negotiate and instead tried to start a fight.
“Ask me in July when the deadline hits,” Leavitt said in response to the question.
The press secretary also provided the media with an update on the China situation, as the communist country has raised tariffs on U.S. products to 125% and vowed “countermeasures” against any country that negotiated trade deals with Trump “at the expense” of Chinese interests.
“I asked the president about this before coming out here. And he wanted me to share with all of you that we are doing very well in respect to a potential trade deal with China,” Leavitt explained. “As I mentioned, there have now been 18 proposals and more than 100 countries around the world who are wanting to make a deal with the United States of America, and the president and the administration are setting the stage for a deal with China.”
“So we feel everyone involved wants to see a trade deal happen, and the ball is moving in the right direction,” she added.
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