President Donald Trump threatened to impose a new round of tariffs on Japan, citing the country’s refusal to accept U.S. rice exports, while White House officials signaled that a wave of trade agreements may be announced following the July 4 holiday.
“They won’t take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Monday. “In other words, we’ll just be sending them a letter, and we love having them as a Trading Partner for many years to come.”
The tariff threat comes just ahead of a key July 9 deadline, when paused tariffs are set to resume for several U.S. trading partners, including Japan. Trump had previously suspended country-specific tariffs in April to allow time for negotiations, but with the clock ticking, he has been warning countries that failure to reach an agreement could result in new tariff levels being unilaterally set by the U.S.
Though only broad frameworks have been announced with China and the U.K. so far, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the administration is planning to roll out multiple agreements after Independence Day. He attributed the delay to the administration’s push to pass Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation before the holiday break.
“It might be that people take an hour or two off on the Fourth to watch the fireworks and then we’ll get back, and we’re going to start to announce the frameworks,” Hassett said on Fox Business Monday. “We’re expecting to meet with the president and explain the frameworks that have been negotiated and see if he approves or not.”
Despite Trump’s pointed remarks toward Japan, Hassett indicated that discussions remain active.
“Nothing is over. I know what he just posted, but there’ll still be discussions right up to the end,” he told reporters.
This strategy—issuing public threats and then reopening dialogue—has become a hallmark of Trump’s trade tactics. Just days earlier, Trump said he was cutting off trade talks with Canada due to its digital-services tax. But after Canada walked back the policy, Hassett confirmed Monday there had been “lots of progress in our discussions with Canada.”
Japan remains a key U.S. trade partner, and Trump officials have previously suggested Tokyo is more likely to secure a deal than be hit with blanket tariffs. Still, negotiations have dragged on, with Japan seeking exemptions from Trump’s 25% auto tariffs, which they argue are damaging a vital industry. Trump has resisted, pointing out Japan’s minimal imports of U.S.-made vehicles. Additionally, Japan currently faces a 24% levy on all exports to the U.S.—reduced to 10% during ongoing talks.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently said the administration intends to finalize trade deals with about 10 major U.S. partners, while others may simply receive notices setting tariff levels.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added Monday that negotiations with countries such as India are progressing ahead of the July 9 deadline.
“He is going to set the rate for many of these countries if they don’t come to the table to negotiate in good faith, and he is meeting with his trade team this week to do that,” Leavitt said.
The final days before the deadline have seen a surge of lobbying from foreign officials and industry groups seeking exemptions from the looming tariffs. When asked whether exemptions might be granted for products not grown in the U.S.—like cocoa and coffee—U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins responded that “everything’s on the table right now.”
For “certain products that we can’t produce here,” Rollins said, “it’s important to have a full understanding and a robust strategy” that balances grocery prices with support for American agriculture.
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