US Treasury chief says key trade deals may come by September
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that Washington could reach key tariff deals with over a dozen partners in the coming months and have its trade agenda wrapped up by early September.
His comments to Fox Business come ahead of a July 9 deadline for steeper US duties to kick in on dozens of economies.
Countries have been rushing to negotiate and reach trade pacts with Washington to avoid this outcome, although the White House recently suggested that President Donald Trump's administration could extend this deadline.
On Friday, Bessent noted that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has expressed expectations for 10 deals with trading partners.
The Treasury chief reiterated that there are 18 key partners the United States is focusing on agreements with.
'If we can ink 10 or 12 of the important 18, there are another important 20 relationships, then I think we could have trade wrapped up by Labour Day,' Bessent said. That holiday falls on September 1.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Melissa Hortman's ‘best boy' Gilbert lies in state with slain Minnesota lawmaker
Gilbert the golden retriever was home with US Democratic leader and Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband when a gunman fatally shot the couple and mortally wounded their beloved dog. Advertisement And he was with them again on Friday when the Hortmans lay in state at the Capitol in St. Paul. He is all but certainly the first dog to receive the honour, having been put down after being badly injured in the attack. There is no record of any other non-human ever lying in state, and Melissa Hortman, a former state House speaker still leading the chamber's Democrats, is the first woman. The state previously granted the honour to 19 men, including a vice-president, secretary of state, senators, governors and a Civil War veteran, according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Advertisement Hundreds of people waited outside the Capitol before they were allowed into the rotunda at noon to pay their respects.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump predicts end to Israel-Gaza war ‘within a week'
President Donald Trump said he thought a ceasefire in Gaza could be 'close' – perhaps in the next week. Advertisement 'I just spoke with some of the people involved. It's a terrible situation that's going,' the US president told reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon. 'And we think within the next week, we're going to get a ceasefire, and we're supplying, as you know, a lot of money and a lot of food to that area.' He did not provide further details on how an agreement might unfold or say to whom he spoke about a possible halt in the war that began with the Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. 'We're involved because people are dying,' Trump added. 03:22 Trump announces US attack on Iran nuclear sites Trump announces US attack on Iran nuclear sites The Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday evening.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump saved Khamenei? ‘Disrespectful and unacceptable' claims, Iran says
Iran's foreign minister has condemned the 'disrespectful and unacceptable' comments from Donald Trump , after the US president claimed to have saved Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from an 'ugly and ignominious death'. Advertisement 'If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran 's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt supporters,' Abbas Araghchi posted on his social media account on Saturday. 'The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to 'Daddy' to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults,' the foreign minister said. The United States carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend, with no consensus as to how effective they were. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Photo: EPA-EFE With those strikes, Washington joined Israel 's bombardments of Iran's nuclear programme in the 12-day conflict launched on June 13.
