The White House has “18 proposals on paper” from foreign countries for trade deals, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday.
“Again, these are proposals on paper that countries have proposed to the Trump administration and to our government,” Leavitt said. “You have Secretary Bessent, Secretary Lutnick, Ambassador Greer, Director Hassett and Peter Navarro, the entire trade team meeting with 34 countries this week alone.”
She was referring to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and presidential counselor Peter Navarro.
“We are moving at Trump speed to ensure these deals are made on behalf of the American worker and the American people,” Leavitt added.
On Monday, Vice President JD Vance announced terms of reference for a trade deal with India. Leavitt said it was a “disservice” that the mainstream media did not cover that.
“We know when we look at the numbers, the monetary trade barriers and the nonmonetary trade barriers from India, they have been ripping off the United States and American workers for a very long time,” Leavitt said.
“So, the fact the vice president with [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi on that trip in 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,” Leavitt continued, “and it speaks to the work ethic and the real labor that’s being put into this effort by the president’s trade team.”
President Donald Trump announced on April 9 a 90-day pause on tariffs for more than 75 trading partners that did not retaliate. There is now a 10% baseline tariff rate on most imported goods.
Chinese imports face an additional 125% tariff rate on top of existing tariffs because Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.
Hassett told “Fox and Friends” last week there are now “offers on the table” with 15 countries—though he declined to specify which—and negotiations are “moving fast.”
Japan’s chief trade negotiator and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni both met with Trump last week to discuss deals.
Trump said he had a “very productive meeting” with Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa as well as with Meloni, who said she was “sure” the U.S. and European Union could reach an agreement.
