Washington [US], April 30: U.S. President Donald Trump and White House officials have revealed that they have reached a trade and tariff deal with their first partner.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed on April 29 that the U.S. administration has reached its first trade deal but has not yet finalized it.
"We've got an agreement done but I need to wait for the prime minister and their parliament to approve it, I predict soon," Lutnick said on CNBC.
The U.S. stock market rallied in the session on April 29 after Mr. Lutnick's remarks as Wall Street closely monitored signals of progress in trade negotiations.
Lutnick also said he was not negotiating directly with China, but with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "My job is the rest of the trade agreements with the world," the U.S. Commerce Secretary said.
In a later Fox News interview, Bessent declined to reveal the name of the country that reached the deal with the United States. "I'm not going ahead of the president. Nothing was finalized until President Donald Trump announced. So we should wait to hear from President Trump in the next few days," Bessent said.
Bessent also announced that there were substantive negotiations with Japan on a potential deal and the contents of an agreement with South Korea could also be announced.
President Trump said on the same day that tariff negotiations with India are going well and he expects the United States to reach an agreement with the South Asian country.
"I think we have an agreement with India. The prime minister (Narendra Modi) was here three weeks ago and they want to make a deal," Trump told reporters. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House in late February.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited India last week and "has made some very good progress," according to Bessent. "A country like India, which has an announced and ready tariff rate, is much easier to negotiate with them," Bessent said.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
