Trump Ditches Tariff Negotiations, Will Dictate Terms to 150 Countries

Trump Decides to Dictate Tariff Terms Instead of Negotiating

William Gallagher | May 16, 2025

President Donald Trump has announced that he will no longer negotiate tariffs with countries due to a lack of time. According to Bloomberg, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will send letters to countries detailing the new tariff rates over the next two to three weeks. Trump emphasized that while he aims to be fair, it is impractical to meet with all those who seek negotiations. The tariffs are intended to protect American interests but will primarily affect U.S. firms and consumers. For instance, Apple predicts a $900 million hit in its next financial quarter due to the global tariffs on imports. Despite Trump's claims that these tariffs will bring manufacturing back to the U.S., many companies are instead shifting operations to non-U.S. territories.