Bessent: Trade Negotiations with Asian Countries ‘Moving Along Very Well’

RADDATZ Let s talk ░░░░░░░░ the TIME interview with ░░░░░░░░ Trump He said he ░░░░░░░░ made 200 deals on ░░░░░░░░ 200 deals Who has ░░░░░░░░ made deals with Is ░░░░░░░░ actually any deal at ░░░░░░░░ point BESSENT I believe ░░░░░░░░ he is referring to ░░░░░░░░ deals within the negotiations ░░░░░░░░ re doing And you ░░░░░░░░ Martha if there are ░░░░░░░░ countries RADDATZ But those ░░░░░░░░ t actual deals BESSENT ░░░░░░░░ if there are 180 ░░░░░░░░ there are 18 important ░░░░░░░░ partners Let s put ░░░░░░░░ to the side because ░░░░░░░░ s a special negotiation ░░░░░░░░ s 17 important trading ░░░░░░░░ and we have a ░░░░░░░░ in place over the ░░░░░░░░ 90 days to negotiate ░░░░░░░░ them Some of those ░░░░░░░░ moving along very well ░░░░░░░░ the with the Asian ░░░░░░░░ RADDATZ And President Trump ░░░░░░░░ strategy really has been ░░░░░░░░ announce these tariffs and ░░░░░░░░ some back pause them ░░░░░░░░ exceptions Explain why you ░░░░░░░░ this as a good ░░░░░░░░ strategy BESSENT Well in ░░░░░░░░ theory it s called ░░░░░░░░ uncertainty So you re ░░░░░░░░ going to tell the ░░░░░░░░ on the other side ░░░░░░░░ the negotiation where you ░░░░░░░░ going to end up ░░░░░░░░ nobody s better at ░░░░░░░░ this leverage than President ░░░░░░░░ You know he s ░░░░░░░░ these the high tariffs ░░░░░░░░ here s the stick ░░░░░░░░ is where the tariffs ░░░░░░░░ goo and the carrot ░░░░░░░░ Come to us take ░░░░░░░░ your tariffs take off ░░░░░░░░ non tariff trade barriers ░░░░░░░░ manipulating your currency stop ░░░░░░░░ labor and capital and ░░░░░░░░ we can talk But ░░░░░░░░ tell you Martha that ░░░░░░░░ ve had several of ░░░░░░░░ Asian countries have come ░░░░░░░░ and said Oh well ░░░░░░░░ ll stop doing this ░░░░░░░░ and this And I ░░░░░░░░ at these lists and ░░░░░░░░ think How did we ░░░░░░░░ here How did we ░░░░░░░░ here Because this trading ░░░░░░░░ has been so unfair ░░░░░░░░ as President Trump says ░░░░░░░░ don t blame the ░░░░░░░░ I blame the previous ░░░░░░░░ that let them get ░░░░░░░░ with it.’”