More than 50 nations start negotiations with the US after tariffs announcement

Over fifty countries have contacted the White House to begin trade talks after US President Donald Trump introduced sweeping new tariffs. Top Trump administration officials defended these tariffs, even though they caused US stocks to lose nearly 6 trillion Dollars in value last week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a news channel that more than 50 nations have started negotiations with the US since last Wednesday’s announcement, putting Trump “in a position of power”. 

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te proposed zero tariffs as the foundation for trade discussions, pledging to remove trade barriers and



promising increased US investments by Taiwanese companies. US stocks fell nearly 10 per cent in the two days following Trump’s announcement of a more aggressive global tariff regime than expected by analysts and investors. 

The S&P 500 plummeted 6 per cent Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 5.5 per cent and the Nasdaq composite dropped 5.8 per cent. Analysts and large investors blamed the stock market drop on Trump’s tariff push, which most economists and the head of the US Federal Reserve believe risk stoking inflation and damaging economic growth.