Bessent: Trump Will Decide Whether to Extend Trade Talks

Odaily Planet Daily News: U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that former President Trump will decide whether to extend negotiations with trade partners beyond the July 9 deadline. When asked on CNBC on Thursday about the possibility of extending the deadline, Bessent said, "We will act according to the President's wishes, and it is up to him to decide whether they are negotiating in good faith." Bessent mentioned that he met with the EU trade representative on Thursday morning and noted that U.S. Trade Representative Greer will "work hard with European officials over the weekend." When asked about negotiations with Japan, Bessent said that no agreement has been reached yet, possibly due to the complexity of Japan's domestic politics. Regarding Vietnam, Bessent said his understanding is that an agreement has been "reached in principle," with the 20% tariff announced by Trump being a core part of the deal, and that this will not be added on top of the general 10% tariff. (Jin10)