U.S. President Donald Trump said he would suspend reciprocal tariffs for 90 days and negotiate customized tariffs with various countries during that period, but doubts have been raised about the practical feasibility.
On the 12th (local time), Reuters reported, "Trump's trade team is pushing for 90 negotiations within 90 days, but experts say they 'wish for luck' regarding this," conveying a critical perspective.
The European Union's (EU) Maros Sefcovic, Deputy Minister in charge of trade at the European Commission, is scheduled to visit Washington on the 14th for negotiations, but U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Basset plans to stay in Argentina during this time. Reuters identified this as a symbolic scene, assessing it as a demonstration of the Trump administration's insufficient response capacity.
There are also concerns that there isn't enough time for negotiations. Wendy Cutler, Vice President of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, said, "Serious preparation and comprehensive discussions are needed to conclude country-specific tariff negotiations," and noted, "Reaching substantial agreements with dozens of countries within 90 days is impossible." He cited that it took eight months to amend parts of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during the first term of Trump.
Moreover, tariff negotiations must consider the impact on financial markets and the real economy. There is a lack of key personnel to lead negotiations at a time when the financial markets have become unstable following the tariff announcement and concerns about a global economic downturn have increased.
Currently, the Director General position responsible for international issues at the Treasury Department is vacant, and some senior positions at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) also remain unfilled, requiring Senate confirmation. Key figures in the diplomatic line are also showing differences in opinion with President Trump regarding trade policy, raising concerns about negotiation delays.
Cutler predicted that the Trump administration is likely to prioritize completing negotiations with a few key countries and extending the tariff suspension period for others.