President Donald Trump‘s 90-day pause on his higher, so-called reciprocal tariffs was reportedly set into motion via a meeting that did not include a key adviser who has pushed for the tariffs.
On April 2, Trump announced higher tariff rates on dozens of countries, causing markets to tank and economic uncertainty. A week later, on April 9, Trump suddenly announced that the higher tariff rates would be paused for 90 days for every country except China as trade negotiations progressed.
The pause came despite days of the president and his advisers insisting there would not be any pause on the tariffs, with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro the chief defender of the tariff regime.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met with Trump, while Navarro was in a different meeting at the White House, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
The report claims Bessent and Lutnick met with Trump in the Oval Office while Navarro was away, convinced him of the 90-day pause, and remained with the president until he announced it on Truth Social.
Navarro, along with spokespersons for Bessent, Lutnick, and the White House, denied to the outlet that anyone was divided on the president’s tariff agenda.
The pause has cooled tempers in the markets, which had seen massive losses prior to the announced 90-day halt on tariffs. Despite the temporary reprieve from the higher tariff rates, the markets are still uncertain about the future of the levies.
TRUMP IN ‘NO RUSH’ ON UK AND CHINA TRADE BUT EXPECTS DEALS IN ‘THREE OR FOUR WEEKS’
The White House said more than 75 countries have reached out to negotiate trade deals amid the looming tariffs. On Friday, Trump said there is “no rush” on trade deals with the United Kingdom and China, but expects action in the coming weeks.
“I would think over the next three or four weeks — I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
