Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 6 that he is hoping U.S. President Donald Trump will reduce tariffs levied on Israel when the two meet in Washington this week.
Trump announced baseline and reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners on April 2, with Israeli imports facing a 17 percent tariff beginning April 9. The United States is Israel’s biggest single trading partner and its closest ally.
After spending the past few days visiting Hungary, Netanyahu departed for Washington on April 6 to visit with Trump on April 7, officials said.
The discussions will cover the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza after 18 months, securing victory in Gaza against the terrorist group, and the U.S. tariff regime on Israel, he said in a statement.
“I hope that I will be able to help on this issue. That is the intention,” Netanyahu said about the tariffs. “I am the first international leader, the first foreign leader, who will meet with President Trump on the issue, which is so important to the Israeli economy.
“There is a long line of leaders who want to do this regarding their economies. I think that it reflects the special personal link, as well as the special ties between the U.S. and Israel, which is so vital at this time.”
Trump’s latest tariff rollout could affect Israel’s machinery and medical equipment exports, an Israeli finance ministry official said on April 3.
Recalibrating Trade Relationships
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CBS News on April 6 that the Trump administration’s strategy with the new tariffs is to recalibrate relationships with all U.S. trading partners. Vietnam, for instance, exported roughly $137 billion in products to the United States last year while maintaining a 90 percent tariff on U.S. products. Trump on April 2 placed a 46 percent tariff on the country’s products that is set to take effect on April 9.“We need to stop the ripoff,” Lutnick said.
The country is now in negotiations with the United States to reduce that 46 percent levy on its exports and will send its deputy prime minister to Washington on April 6.
That same day, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc’s office said in a statement that Vietnam will continue pushing for more purchases coming from the United States and will hold meetings on how to handle Trump’s new tariffs.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told ABC News on April 6 that dozens of countries have reached out to the United States following Trump’s tariff announcement.
Hassett said that while “countries are angry and retaliating,” they are also “coming to the table.”
“I got a report from the [U.S. Trade Representative] last night that more than 50 countries have reached out to the president to begin a negotiation, but they’re doing that because they understand that they bear a lot of the tariff,” he said.
Lai said Taiwanese companies will also increase their investments in the United States. Taiwan has a trade surplus with the United States and will see a 32 percent tariff on its imports into the United States.
Indonesian Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said in a statement on April 6 that Indonesia will not retaliate against Trump’s 32 percent tariff on its exports. Instead, Indonesia will pursue diplomacy and negotiations with the United States to reach mutually beneficial solutions.
“The approach was taken by considering the long-term interest of bilateral trade relation, as well as to maintain the investment climate and national economic stability,” Airlangga said.
Jakarta has said a high-level delegation will travel to the United States for direct negotiations with the Trump administration.
On April 7, the Indonesian government will get input from businesses to create a strategy to respond to the U.S. tariffs while seeking ways to increase trade with Europe as an alternative to the United States and China, Airlangga added.
