The News
Countries showed sharply contrasting responses to US President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, from tit-for-tat levies and requests for negotiation to holding off altogether.
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Trump Monday to discuss the tariffs, Japan’s prime minister said he would set off for Washington soon, and Vietnam’s leadership held telephone talks with the White House.
Others took opposing tacks. Beijing hit back with levies on its own, lambasting Washington for “seeking hegemony in the name of reciprocity,” while considering bringing a planned stimulus forward to combat the effects of tariffs on its already flagging economy.
The European Union held back, at least for now: The bloc’s trade ministers were due to talk Monday but appeared to be betting that “market chaos and political turmoil are doing Europe’s work,” Politico reported.