Suggestions that more time to negotiate would lead to trade deals reportedly inspired President Donald Trump to delay the implementation of his reciprocal tariffs to Aug. 1.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other advisers told Trump they were making enough progress with several trading partners as the president's previous deadline approached and more deals could be agreed to with additional time, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The European Union and India were among the countries mentioned, the Journal added.
"The Administration continues to receive overwhelming interest from other countries who are eager to reduce their tariff and non-monetary trade barriers to maintain access to the American economy," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to Newsmax.
"President Trump, however, has been clear: the United States, the world's biggest and best consumer market, holds the cards and leverage in negotiations to unilaterally set deals with appropriate tariff rates for our trading partners."
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC on Tuesday that 15-20 new tariff letters to world leaders can be expected in the next two days.
Trump on Monday signed an executive order pushing back the reciprocal tariff deadline to Aug. 1. Those tariffs, which had already been delayed by 90 days, were set to take effect Wednesday.
Trump used his social media platform Truth Social to say Tuesday that no extensions will be granted going forward.
Trump, through phone calls and private conversations from his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, deliberated with allies last weekend about how to proceed in relation to the tariffs, the Journal reported.
Besides contemplating a new August deadline, he considered sending letters to trade partners with no date and simply declaring new tariff rates, sources told the outlet.
The president told aides and allies he was frustrated, blaming other countries for not proposing offers that were good enough for the U.S.
Bessent, who had helped convince Trump to install a 90-day pause on his April "Liberation Day" tariffs, reportedly told Trump some deals were close but needed more time.
As recently as Monday, Trump said he might be flexible on his new August deadline to reach deals.
Trump sent letters to trading partners including key U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, announcing that duties he had suspended in April would snap back even more steeply in three weeks.
Tokyo and Seoul would be hit with 25% tariffs on their goods, he wrote. Countries including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa, and Malaysia were slapped with duties ranging from 25% to 40%.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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