President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated preliminary trade talks with about 20 countries in an effort to secure significant agreements in short order.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are spearheading negotiations for large and small trade partners from around the globe.
Major economies like Japan, South Korea, China, and Vietnam top the list, as Trump seeks to shrink America’s growing trade deficit.
Smaller economies are also involved, including Fiji, Lesotho, and Mauritius, signaling the White House’s interest in swift, simpler deals.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick explained that the goal is to create examples for future agreements and set broad frameworks. Administration officials are also in talks with other countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Switzerland, and the Philippines.
Trump-UK deal outline lacks final details
Trump’s team recently announced a deal outline with the UK, though it remains limited and needs further details to finalize. Negotiations with India, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Taiwan are ongoing, though Lutnick has warned that not all will close quickly.
Notably, the administration sees Southeast Asia as a key region because of the sizable US trade deficit there. Argentina, under President Javier Milei, is reportedly among the first in line, as Milei has already held several talks with US officials.
Meanwhile, smaller nations like Lesotho, facing steep tariffs on diamond and apparel exports, are racing to secure agreements. Lesotho recently gave Elon Musk’s Starlink a decade-long license and promised to cut barriers to US investments.
China negotiations stand apart on their own track, with Bessent and Greer set to meet Chinese officials this weekend. Trump has even floated cutting tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% down to 80%, signaling an important potential shift.
Nonetheless, Many countries aim to lock in deals before looming deadlines, so officials expect the coming months to bring major trade announcements.
