The Trump administration is wasting no time in delivering results from its bold “America First” economic strategy. Just weeks after President Trump launched his sweeping new trade initiative on “Liberation Day,” the White House has already received 18 formal trade proposals from foreign governments eager to strike deals under new U.S. terms.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the announcement during a press briefing, highlighting the pace and seriousness with which other nations are responding to President Trump’s leadership on trade. “We’re moving at Trump speed,” she said. “The world understands that America means business again.”
.@PressSec says the administration has received 18 trade proposals from foreign countries so far — and that officials have trade meetings with 34 countries this week alone. pic.twitter.com/XyK2LCgoB0
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 22, 2025
The announcement follows President Trump’s April 2 action to reset global trade policy by implementing a 90-day tariff framework. Most countries saw a reduction to a flat 10% tariff rate, giving them a window to negotiate fair trade agreements with the United States. However, tariffs on China were hiked dramatically to 145% in a direct challenge to decades of economic abuse.
As part of this effort, top members of Trump’s economic team—including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and Senior Trade Counselor Peter Navarro—have held discussions with representatives from 34 different countries in just one week. The administration is pushing hard for bilateral agreements that prioritize American workers, American companies, and American sovereignty.
One of the first major breakthroughs came with India. Vice President JD Vance, during a diplomatic visit to New Delhi, announced alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi that both nations have finalized a “terms of reference” framework—paving the way for formal bilateral trade negotiations. For years, India has maintained protectionist barriers that limited U.S. access to its markets, but the Trump administration is now turning the tables.
“This is a complete reversal of the failed globalism of the past,” Leavitt said. “We’re no longer waiting for the world to dictate terms. We’re leading—and the world is responding.”
The White House is also making headway with reluctant trade partners, including China, which has attempted to retaliate by slapping 125% tariffs on American imports and threatening countries that align with the U.S. strategy. Despite these moves, administration officials say negotiations with China are ongoing, and President Trump has made it clear that the only acceptable outcome is a deal that restores fairness and stops the theft of American intellectual property and jobs.
Trump’s trade team is operating with intensity, leveraging the strength of the U.S. economy and the president’s decisive leadership to secure better terms across the board. The focus is on bilateral deals, rejecting the bloated multilateral agreements of the past that often left American industries behind.
The message from the Trump White House is simple: America is open for business—but it’s on our terms, not China’s, not the European Union’s, and not the globalist elite’s.
As these negotiations continue, the administration remains confident that the results will speak for themselves—more American jobs, fairer trade, and a stronger national economy built on respect, not dependency.