Donald Trump says US has struck trade deal with | Political News

President Donald Trump mentioned that the United States is in “very good shape with China and the trade deal” while talking with reporters alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on Thursday, where the 2 leaders mentioned tariffs, protection spending, and relations between Washington and Beijing.

“A little bit off-track. It was only the complexities. We had a very good conversation with President Xi a little while ago before your arrival,” Trump mentioned, trying at Merz, before speaking about how they “straightened out” the complexities.

“I think we’re in very good shape with China and the trade deal. We have a deal with China as you know,” Trump added.

Shortly before the assembly, Trump posted on Truth Social about the “good conversation” he had with Beijing.

“I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal. The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries. There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products. Our respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined. We will be represented by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer. During the conversation, President Xi graciously invited the First Lady and me to visit China, and I reciprocated. As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing. The conversation was focused almost entirely on TRADE. Nothing was discussed concerning Russia/Ukraine, or Iran. We will inform the Media as to scheduling and location of the soon to be meeting,” he posted.

Before the new Chancellor visited the White House, speculations had been rife about whether or not Trump would deal with Merz the way in which he handled South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Both interactions had been tense, fiery, and recorded Washington’s fraught relations with visiting leaders in public.

However, according to his spokesperson, Merz was “well prepared for this meeting ” before the go to.

German outlet ARD reported that Merz and Trump are allegedly on pleasant phrases. They have exchanged textual content messages and are on a first-name foundation.

“It’s always important to not talk for too long,” Merz just lately mentioned on German tv, including, “But to keep it short and also let him talk.”

Merz has beforehand drawn consideration for saying that the United States administration is “indifferent to the fate of Europe.”

The 69-year-old Merz is a conservative former rival of predecessor Angela Merkel’s who took over her occasion after she retired from politics. Merz also comes to the workplace with an intensive business background — one thing that may align him with Trump.

On Thursday, Merz informed reporters in Washington forward of his assembly with Trump that “the meeting has been well prepared on all sides.”

“We will have to talk about NATO — we changed the constitution in Germany so that we can spend the means that need to be spent,” Merz mentioned, including that “we want to become the strongest conventional army in the European Union.” Before it took workplace, Merz’s coalition pushed plans through parliament to allow increased protection spending by loosening strict guidelines on incurring debt.

The White House has been unusually quiet about the assembly with the White House Press Secretary. While talking with reporters, the White House merely talked about the assembly, yet it didn’t point out it during the briefing.

A White House official mentioned topics that Trump is probably going to raise with Merz embrace Germany’s protection spending, trade, Ukraine and what the official known as “democratic backsliding,” saying the administration’s view is that shared values such as freedom of speech have deteriorated in Germany and the nation ought to reverse course. The official spoke on situation of anonymity to preview the discussions.

Tariffs are a common level of rivalry between the nations, particularly after Trump doubled the import taxes on aluminum and metal, with the European Union warning of countermeasures.

Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the progress of tariff negotiations with the EU, claiming that it’s “time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game. “

In May, he threatened to levy a 50% tariff on European items before he delayed it until July 9.

The U.S. is Germany’s largest trading accomplice, and it stays to be seen whether or not the self-proclaimed “dealmaker” Merz will likely be in a position to progress tariff talks and clean out relations.

Trump has at all times been miffed over Germany’s reliance on the U.S. for protection, having tweeted in the previous that Berlin “owes vast sums of money to NATO and the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defence it provides to Germany.”

Trump is also agitated over NATO allies not assembly their protection spending restrict. Compared to the proposed 5% of their GDP, Germany is at 2%, which is a sticking level for Trump.