President Donald Trump on Friday said an 80% tariff on China “seems right” ahead of trade talks between U.S. and China in Switzerland this weekend.
On Thursday, Trump announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom — the first in what the White House said it hopes will be a flurry of agreements while the reciprocal tariff pause is in effect. With UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on speaker phone in the Oval Office, the leaders conceded that they are still working out the details of the agreement.
As conversations between the United States and China will resume on Sunday in Geneva, Switzerland, Trump reacted to the initial discussions, saying, “GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!”
In a new social media post, the president calls the meeting a “total reset” between the two countries without providing further details.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump are giving slightly different accounts of their meeting on Friday.
In a video posted on X on Friday afternoon, Adams — strolling outside the White House — said he spoke with Trump about important issues for New York City and investments for manufacturing, among other initiatives.
“It is my obligation to deliver for the people of New York,” Adams said. “And as a city that’s the largest city in America, we must have a dialogue with the White House, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
When asked about the meeting during a spray in the Oval Office, Trump said that he and Adams discussed “almost nothing.”
“He came in to say hello. He was very nice. I think he came in to thank me, frankly,” Trump said without elaborating.
Asked if Adams is complying with Immigration and Customs Enforcement like Trump would like, the president deferred to border czar Tom Homan.
The Army will rely on unused federal office space, including at the Department of Agriculture and the General Services Administration, to house an estimated 6,600 soldiers coming to Washington, D.C., on June 14 for its 250th birthday celebration.
Army officials told ABC News the soldiers will be sleeping on Army-issued cots inside empty federal office buildings.
The Army is also considering putting up some soldiers in buildings near Arlington National Cemetery and at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia.
“This will not displace any federal workers,” Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan said.
Soldiers from every Army division were expected to begin arriving in the Capital on June 12, although Hagan said arrivals and departures would depend upon each individual unit.
President Donald Trump was asked on Friday what parameters he’s given Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as he meets with Chinese officials on trade in Switzerland this weekend.
“We have to make a great deal for America,” Trump said.
Pressed if he’ll be “disappointed” if a deal isn’t reached, Trump said no but expressed optimism on the upcoming talks: “I think we’re going to come back with a fair deal for both China and us.”
Asked if he’s given Bessent a “number of how low you’re willing to go,” Trump said he has but wouldn’t give details.
“I put out a number today — 80% — so we’ll see how that all works out,” the president said.Show Less
President Donald Trump said on Friday he wants to maintain a minimum 10% baseline tariff against trade partners, even after deals are made.
“Does that mean that countries offering zero tariffs won’t get reciprocity?” a reporter asked.
“You are always going to have a baseline,” Trump said. “I mean, there could be an exception at some point, we’ll see. You know, somebody does something exceptional for us, that’s always possible. “But basically you have a baseline of a minimum of 10%. And some of them will be much higher 40%, 50%, 60%, as they’ve been doing to us over the years.”
