Trump suggests advice to countries unhappy with US tariffs

(MENAFN) President Donald Trump has responded to international criticism over his sweeping tariff hikes by suggesting that countries unhappy with the new trade duties are free to stop doing business with the United States.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump defended his administration’s aggressive tariff policy, stating, “We can set the tariff, and they can choose not to deal with us, or they can choose to pay it.” He emphasized that his measures have significantly strengthened the U.S. economy, claiming they bring in “billions of dollars a day.”

Earlier this week, Trump imposed higher “reciprocal” tariffs on nearly 90 countries, only to later announce a 90-day suspension and a lowered 10% tariff rate for most of them. However, China was notably excluded from this pause, and its imports remain subject to a steep 145% duty amid an ongoing trade standoff.

Trump dismissed concerns about the economic fallout from the tariffs, including recent volatility in the stock market. “The bond market’s going good. It had a little moment but I solved that problem very quickly,” he said, brushing off fears with trademark confidence.

He also downplayed worries that the trade war could damage the global standing of the U.S. dollar. “It will always be the currency of choice,” he declared, adding that any country looking to move away from the dollar “would be back within about one phone call.”

At a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner earlier in the week, Trump claimed that “dozens of countries are calling us up, kissing my ass,” looking to negotiate relief from the increased tariffs.

While the new tariffs initially caused a steep drop in U.S. stock markets, Trump's decision to scale back most rates to a 10% baseline helped trigger a market rebound. He maintained that a 10% tariff should be considered a minimum moving forward, though some exceptions might apply.

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