Donald Trump dropped a big clue that trade deals could be completed by the week of 6 May 2025. He told us that there “might just be” big things that happened. The former president puffed up the nascent effort, saying that the U.S. is “extremely close to some agreements.” He sounded pretty positive on the negotiations with India, saying they are “coming along great.” He made clear his belief that a deal with India is the next one likely to come together.
Coincidentally, on that same day, the UK and India finalized a sweeping new trade agreement. This move placed further pressure on the U.S., as tariff tensions with China only incensed further. Both investors and business leaders are looking for the Trump administration to move swiftly. They’re looking for quick bilateral deals with big trading partners such as Japan and South Korea. Trump’s recent comments led U.S. markets to decline on May 6, raising concerns about the administration’s ability to deliver on promised trade agreements.
In a private White House meeting, the president expressed his ire to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He was tired of the too frequent “where is that trade deal” type questions. He remarked, “I wish they’d … stop asking, how many deals are you signing this week?” This sentiment was echoed by his assertion that his administration has not clearly communicated that some deals would indeed be signed.
Yet according to Politico, Trump himself acknowledged that his own top aides–including Larry Kudlow and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross–were to blame for the whipsawing on trade negotiations. He specifically criticized them for overpromising and under-delivering on trade deals. “I think my people haven’t made it clear, we will sign some deals,” Trump said, indicating a desire for more realistic expectations surrounding the negotiations.
Peter Navarro, an advisor to Trump, stated that the White House is moving “as fast as possible” on securing an India trade deal. Trump’s comments included a reminder that the U.S. does not seek a piece of other countries’ markets, insisting that foreign nations are eager to access the American market. The killer part about that is we don’t need to sign agreements, they need to sign agreements with us. They want a piece of our market. We’re not looking to get a slice of their business,” he claimed.
Besides addressing America’s trade negotiations with other major economies, Trump alluded to a forthcoming re-pricing in the U.S. market for goods and services. He noted, “Much bigger than that is we’re going to put down the price that people are going to have to pay to shop in the United States. Think of us as a super luxury store, a store that has the goods.”
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