Trump Talks Tariff Cuts With Vietnam

President Donald Trump’s bold economic strategy is already yielding results. Just days after announcing sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs, Trump revealed he had a highly productive call with Vietnam’s top communist leader one that could pave the way for a tariff-slashing agreement that benefits American workers and businesses.

Trump, writing on Truth Social, said that To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, expressed a willingness to cut tariffs on U.S. goods down to zero if a broader trade agreement can be reached. That’s a big win in a region many companies have turned to in an attempt to escape Trump’s tough China policies.

“I thanked him on behalf of our Country,” Trump stated, “and said I look forward to a meeting in the near future.”

This breakthrough came after Vietnam was hit with a 46% tariff one of the highest among the new tariffs levied by Trump on virtually every foreign nation. These tariffs are designed to penalize unfair trade practices and incentivize U.S. companies to bring back critical manufacturing jobs.

Here’s why this matters:

• Vietnam’s exports to the U.S. make up roughly 30% of its entire economy, the highest share among major U.S. trade partners.

• American imports from Vietnam jumped 19% between 2023 and 2024, reaching $136.6 billion.

• Multinational companies like Nike, Adidas, and Patagonia have increasingly shifted production to Vietnam to avoid Chinese tariffs only to now face a harder line from Trump.

While critics argue that tariffs might raise costs for consumers, Trump’s long-term goal is clear: bring manufacturing home, rebuild American industry, and end our dependence on foreign adversaries. And unlike China, which immediately retaliated with a 34% tariff of its own, Vietnam is signaling cooperation.

That contrast is no accident. Vietnam sees where the global winds are shifting and with Trump poised to retake the White House, the smart players are making moves to align with the America First agenda. Other countries, including China, Canada, and the European Union, may huff and puff, but they’ll eventually face the same reality: the era of one-sided trade deals is over.

Trump’s tariffs are already pressuring foreign economies to the table. If Vietnam follows through, it will be one of the first nations to acknowledge that doing business with a strong America is worth more than appeasing bureaucrats in Brussels or Beijing.

The message is clear: negotiate fair trade, or face the consequences. President Trump is back at the helm of U.S. trade policy and he’s not playing around.

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