The United States is “very close” to finalising a trade agreement with India, and a deal with the European Union may also be on the cards, President Donald Trump said in an interview aired on Wednesday. However, he indicated that a potential agreement with Canada remains uncertain.
Speaking to Real America’s Voice, Trump said trade negotiations were being fast-tracked ahead of an August 1 deadline, when tariffs on most U.S. imports are scheduled to increase. His administration is seeking what he considers better terms with major trading partners in a bid to narrow the large US trade deficit.
“We're very close to India, and... we could possibly make a deal with the EU,” Trump said, when asked which trade agreements were imminent.
An Indian trade delegation arrived in the US capital on Monday for a fresh round of talks.
“The European Union has been brutal, and now they’re being very nice. They want to make a deal, and it’ll be a lot different than the deal that we’ve had for years,” he added.
On Canada, Trump said it was “too soon to say” whether a deal could be reached. His comments mirrored the stance of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who earlier on Wednesday said an agreement that benefits Canadian workers was “not yet on the table”.
Trump also floated the possibility of imposing a blanket tariff of 10 or 15 percent on imports from smaller countries, though he did not elaborate.
