Trump says he won’t extend July 9 trade deadline, expresses doubt on Japan deal

Trump says he won’t extend July 9 trade deadline, expresses doubt on Japan deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was not thinking of extending the July 9 deadline for countries to negotiate trade deals with the U.S., and continued to express doubt that an agreement could be reached with Japan.

“We’ve dealt with Japan. I’m not sure we’re going to make a deal. I doubt it,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from a trip to Florida.

Trump suggested he could impose a tariff of “30% or 35% or whatever the number is that we determine” on imports from Japan – well above the 24% tariff rate he announced on April 2 and then later paused.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal)