Trump Hints At Replacing Trade Deals With Letters As Tariff Deadline Nears

With just over a week to go before the July 9 deadline for new trade agreements, U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that personal letters to world leaders may take the place of formal trade negotiations. The statement, made during a televised Fox News interview, comes amid growing concern over stalled talks and Trump’s unfulfilled promise to strike 90 trade deals in 90 days.

“I’m going to send letters, that’s the end of the trade deal,” Trump told Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo, offering a mock example addressed to Japan: “Dear Mr. Japan, here’s the story. You’re going to pay a 25% tariff on your cars.”

The U.S. has so far concluded trade agreements only with China and the United Kingdom. Talks with Canada restarted on June 30, but negotiations with other major trading partners remain stalled. Trump’s suggestion that written letters could substitute for formal deals has raised eyebrows in both diplomatic and economic circles.

Tariffs Threatened, Japan Targeted

A focal point of Trump’s trade frustration remains Japan. In the interview, he accused the country of benefiting unfairly from auto trade, claiming, “They won’t take our cars, right? And yet we take millions and millions of their cars into the United States.” He floated a continued 25% tariff on Japanese autos, unless concessions are made.

“Now, we have oil,” Trump added. “They could take a lot of oil. They could take a lot of other things,” referencing potential trade-offs to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Japan.

Tokyo has strongly pushed back. Chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa called the tariffs “unacceptable,” noting Japan’s $60 billion investment in the U.S. auto sector and the creation of more than 2.3 million American jobs.

Markets Nervous, Wall Street Mocks

Wall Street has responded with growing skepticism. Traders have nicknamed the president “TACO” – Trump Always Chickens Out – a reference to his tendency to announce bold tariffs only to delay or reverse them under market pressure. Markets have already experienced volatility this year in response to Trump’s trade threats, followed by his temporary pause on enforcement.

As the July 9 deadline approaches without significant progress, business leaders and economists are warning of rising uncertainty. Without concrete deals, the automatic enforcement of reciprocal tariffs could trigger supply chain disruptions, price hikes, and further strain diplomatic relations.

With policy increasingly communicated through personal correspondence and media soundbites, questions remain about the administration’s ability or willingness to engage in structured trade diplomacy.