Trump’s team offers mixed messaging on tariff negotiation, downplays market volatility

Top Trump administration officials are offering mixed messaging on the possibility of negotiating the president’s newly announced tariffs, framing the move as a necessary economic reset and downplaying severe market volatility and uncertainty.

Top Trump administration officials are offering mixed messaging on the possibility of negotiations on the president’s newly announced tariffs, framing the move as a necessary economic reset and downplaying severe market volatility and uncertainty. President Donald Trump has long cast himself as a dealmaker — and has left the door open to cutting tariff deals with countries. But messaging from his top economic lieutenants Sunday painted a murkier picture about the possibility of relief. Trump last week announced tariffs of at least 10% across all countries, with rates going even higher for 60 countries deemed the “worst offenders.” The universal 10% rate went into effect Saturday, while the customized rates will take effect Wednesday. More than 50 countries have approached the White House to talk about lowering tariffs in the aftermath of Trump’s announcement, officials said Sunday. That outreach, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” shows “that all these countries know that they’ve been ripping us off, and the day has come for that to end.” Though the president has previously paused tariffs to allow for negotiation in other situations, Lutnick made clear that the administration plans to follow through on the tariffs set to go into effect Wednesday.