Over 50 nations want to start trade talks with US after tariffs
Business
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said more than 50 nations started negotiations
WASHINGTON (Web Desk) - More than 50 nations have reached out to the White House to begin trade talks since US President Donald Trump rolled out sweeping new tariffs, top officials said on Sunday as they defended levies that wiped out nearly $6 trillion in value from U.S. stocks last week and downplayed economic fallout.
On Sunday morning talk shows, Trump's top economic advisers sought to portray the tariffs as a savvy repositioning of the US in the global trade order. They also tried to minimise the economic shocks from last week's tumultuous rollout, ahead of Monday's expected bumpy opening of Asian stock markets.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said more than 50 nations had started negotiations with the US since last Wednesday's announcement, putting Trump in a position of power.
Neither Bessent nor the other officials named the countries or offered details about the talks. But simultaneously negotiating with multiple countries could pose a logistical challenge for the Trump administration and prolong economic uncertainty.
