[CTC] Bessent, Greer tapped to lead trade negotiations with Japan

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Bessent, Greer tapped to lead trade negotiations with Japan 
By Dan Dupont, Inside US Trade
 April 7, 2025
 
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer have been asked by President Trump to lead trade talks with Japan, Bessent said on Monday. 
 
“Following a very constructive phone discussion with the Government of Japan,” Bessent said on X <https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1909309381289869363>, Trump told him and Greer “to open negotiations to implement the President’s vision for the new Golden Age of Global Trade” with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba “and his Cabinet.” 
 
Details on that vision were not disclosed. 
 
Trump and Ishiba spoke earlier on Monday, after which the president posted on Truth Social <https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114296909356614075> that “Countries from all over the World are talking to us. Tough but fair parameters are being set.” 
 
“Spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister this morning,” Trump added. “He is sending a top team to negotiate! They have treated the U.S. very poorly on Trade. They don’t take our cars, but we take MILLIONS of theirs. Likewise Agriculture, and many other ‘things.’ It all has to change, but especially with CHINA!!!” 
 
Trump’s post on Ishiba added to the confusion about whether his new “reciprocal” tariff regime is designed to provoke negotiations that might lead to lower U.S. duties. That confusion has roiled markets and trading partners.
 
On Monday afternoon, Trump told reporters he would not pause the implementation of the new tariffs, which are set to go into effect this week, after erroneous reports earlier in the day had led to a temporary boost in stock prices that was almost immediately reversed. He did, however, say “They can be permanent tariffs, and they can also be negotiations, because there are things we need beyond tariffs.”  
 
Trump also said the administration would be “talking to China” and other countries in search of potential “great” deals. 
 
“We’re going to get fair deals and good deals with every country and if we don’t we’re going to have nothing to do with them; they’re not going to be allowed to participate in the United States,” he added. -- Dan Dupont (ddupont at iwpnews.com <mailto:ddupont at iwpnews.com>) 

Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826




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