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The United States is very close to reaching a trade agreement with India, and a deal with the European Union is also possible, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview on Real America’s Voice, according to Reuters.
To secure what he considers better terms with trading partners and to reduce the U.S. trade deficit, Trump’s administration is pushing to finalize trade deals by August 1, the date when tariffs on most U.S. imports are set to increase again.
“We’re very close with India, and… we could make a deal with the EU,” Trump said when asked which trade deals were on the horizon.
His comments come as EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič heads to Washington for talks on tariffs, and an Indian trade delegation also arrived in the U.S. on Monday for further negotiations.
“The (European) Union was harsh, but now they’re very nice. They want to make a deal — and it will be very different from the one we’ve had for many years,” Trump added.
“We can make a deal with Europe. You know, I’m very indifferent about it,” Trump said, claiming that the letter he sent to the EU could be considered a deal in itself.
When asked about the prospects of a deal with Canada — which, like the EU, is preparing countermeasures in case negotiations with the U.S. fail — Trump said: “It’s too early to say.”
His remark echoed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s earlier statement on Wednesday, in which Carney said that a deal acceptable to Canadian workers “is not yet on the table.”
Trump also said he is likely to introduce a general tariff of 10% or 15% for smaller countries.
Previously, Trump announced that starting August 1, imports from EU countries and Mexico would be subject to a 30% tariff.
In response, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU has prepared countermeasures but will not implement them as long as there remains a chance to resolve the issue through negotiations.
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