The Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, appeared in Fox News on Wednesday, where he provided the background history on how the administration of President Donald Trump decided to start a 90 -day break on the rates.
“Two days ago, the president created that he was willing to negotiate with all these different interested countries. And then yesterday, he said he would do so to measure, one by one, individually. And the calls were incredible,” Lutnick said.
The Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Besent and the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, monitor how President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, on April 9, 2025 in Washington.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Lutnick transmitted that he and secretary Scott Besent entered the Oval office on Wednesday and asked Trump how he would like to handle trade negotiations. Together, they agreed that they would highlight China. According to Lutnick, the president issued his position on social networks with Lutnick and Besent standing by his side.
When pressed when the agreements could reach a good end, Lutnick said the agreements will take some time; However, he said that he immediately got to work making calls after the president’s announcement.
“Well, I think the real offers will take some time … but we are going to start gathering with countries. I started calling them just after leaving the Oval office today, starting calling countries, talking to them and telling them, it’s fine, this is the time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh
