April 25 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said in an interview published Friday that he has negotiated 200 trade deals but won’t say with whom.
Trump spoke with Time Tuesday, in an interview that spanned several topics, and included many claims of success, but when specifically asked about why no trade deals have been made since he lifted many of the tariffs originally imposed on April 2, he said “there’s many deals,” and that he’s “dealing with all the companies, very friendly countries.”
“We’re meeting with China. We’re doing fine with everybody. But ultimately, I’ve made all the deals,” Trump said.
When he was then asked when he would announce what deals have been cut, Trump said “I’ve made 200 deals,” and that he would publicly state when those were made.
“I would say, over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished, by the way,” he said.
He was also asked whether a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping was possible, he claimed Xi has already called but wouldn’t say when that happened either.
Trump continued about deals and stated that “we all want to make deals” adding that “I am this giant store.”
“It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay,” he said.
When asked what economic Cabinet members said to get him to pause the tariffs he put into place, he responded that “They didn’t tell me. I did that,” and that he paused the levies because “I’m doing that until we come up with the numbers that I want to come up with. I’ve met with a lot of countries. I’ve talked on the telephone. I don’t even want them to come in.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun discussed Trump’s allegations of deals Thursday. “None of that is true,” he said, “For all I know, China and the U.S. are not having any consultation or negotiation on tariffs, still less reaching a deal.
