Trump criticizes Putin and threatens adversaries with new tariffs as he barrels toward April 2 deadline
CNN
President Donald Trump is barreling toward a self-imposed April 2 deadline for sweeping tariffs and is threatening additional ones on foreign adversaries this weekend even as he’s expressed openness to making deals.
President Donald Trump is barreling toward a self-imposed April 2 deadline for sweeping tariffs and is threatening additional ones on foreign adversaries this weekend even as he’s expressed openness to making deals. Trump has cast April 2 as “Liberation Day,” promising reciprocal tariffs on an unspecified number of countries, as well as 25% tariffs on automobiles and car parts. But he also warned of additional tariffs on US adversaries Russia and Iran in a phone interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker over the weekend. The president openly aired grievances toward Russian President Vladimir Putin in the interview. “I was very angry – pissed off – when Putin started getting into Zelensky’s credibility, because that’s not going in the right location, you understand?” Trump told Welker, referring to the Russian leader’s comments last week suggesting Ukraine be put under a “temporary administration” while the two nations work toward a deal. He continued, “But new leadership means you’re not gonna have a deal for a long time, right? … But I was pissed off about it. But if a deal isn’t made, and if I think it was Russia’s fault, I’m going to put secondary sanctions on Russia.”