Donald Trump opens up to renegotiating tariffs with Vietnam after a call with its leader

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he held a phone meeting with To Lam, the general secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party, during which he stated that they could renegotiate the tariffs imposed on the Asian country.

According to Trump's message, posted on social networks, the Vietnamese government is seeking the removal of all tariff barriers for its products in the United States.

The Trump administration has imposed tariffs of 46% on Vietnam earlier this week, with the new tariffs set to take effect on April 9.

Without providing further details, Donald Trump mentioned that he would hold another meeting with the Vietnamese government in the future, and that the conditions could be negotiated in exchange for a potential agreement between the two governments.

"I thanked him on behalf of our country and told him that I hoped to meet with him in the near future," the president added.

The Vietnamese government believes there is still time to negotiate with the United States and reach an agreement to avoid the implementation of tariffs. This was conveyed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Economy prior to To Lam's call with Donald Trump.

Many experts have argued that Donald Trump's strategy with the tariffs is to use them as leverage to negotiate agreements with other countries that benefit the United States, and that the intention is for these tariffs to be temporary.

However, many other countries, such as Canada, have yet to show signs of being ready to negotiate and appear to be exploring new trading partners to replace the U.S. market for their products.

Turkey also calls for renegotiation

The Turkish government has also proposed some form of agreement to avoid suffering the tariffs imposed on its exports. The country has been grappling with a complex economic situation for years, including a significant devaluation of its currency, the lira. This has contributed to an annual inflation rate of 38.1% in March, compared to 39.1% in February, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute.

As announced by Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, the Turkish government has requested a meeting with its counterparts in Washington to address the tariff issue. A visit to the United States is scheduled for mid-May, with the goal of negotiating a reduction in the 10% tariff imposed on its exports to the U.S.

In 2024, Turkish exports totaled just over $16 billion with the metal and textile sectors leading the way in trade transactions.