Lutnick Says U.S. Will Not Extend Tariff Suspension After August 1

Fox News Interview
"Negotiations Possible Even Afterward"

Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, announced on the 27th (local time) that the current mutual tariff suspension measures applied to trading partner countries will not be extended beyond August 1.

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In an interview with Fox News on this day, Secretary Lutnick stated, "From August 1, tariffs will be imposed immediately, and customs authorities will begin collection procedures."

However, he added that negotiations will continue with countries that have not reached a trade agreement by August 1.

Secretary Lutnick explained, "Of course, even after August 1, it is possible to have discussions with President Trump. The President is always willing to listen. He will continue to speak with many people until then." He continued, "Whether it will be possible to satisfy the President is another matter, but President Trump is willing to negotiate with major economies."

President Trump, who is currently staying in Scotland, will meet with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, later this afternoon to engage in last-minute tariff negotiations. With the United States having warned the EU of a 30% mutual tariff, both sides are discussing ways to lower this to around 15%. As there are reported disagreements over the details, attention is focused on whether this meeting between the leaders will lead to a final agreement.

Regarding the possibility of reaching an agreement with the EU, Secretary Lutnick said, "The President sees the chances as fifty-fifty," and added, "The question is whether they will offer a deal good enough for the President to withdraw the 30% tariff." He emphasized that negotiations can only progress if the EU proposes substantial market-opening measures, such as eliminating non-tariff barriers.

On the issue of the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations, a Chinese video-sharing platform, he stated, "President Trump likes TikTok, but he cannot accept a situation where a Chinese company's application (hereafter app) is installed on 100 million U.S. smartphones." He added, "TikTok must be acquired by an American company and operated using American technology and algorithms."