WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he is not planning to extend a 90-day pause on tariffs on most nations beyond July 9, when the negotiating period he set would expire, and his administration will notify countries that the trade penalties will take effect unless there are deals with the United States.
Letters will start going out ''pretty soon" before the approaching deadline, he said.
''We'll look at how a country treats us — are they good, are they not so good — some countries we don't care, we'll just send a high number out,'' Trump told Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures" during a wide-ranging interview taped Friday and broadcast Sunday.
Those letters, he said, would say, ''Congratulations, we're allowing you to shop in the United States of America, you're going to pay a 25% tariff, or a 35% or a 50% or 10%.''
Trump had played down the deadline at a White House news conference Friday by noting how difficult it would be to work out separate deals with each nation. The administration had set a goal of reaching 90 trade deals in 90 days.
Negotiations continue, but ''there's 200 countries, you can't talk to all of them,'' he said in the interview.
Trump also discussed a potential TikTok deal, relations with China, the strikes on Iran and his immigration crackdown.
Here are the key takeaways: