After Bessent's urging, Trump discusses trade deals with focus on tariff endgame strategy
Bessent traveled to Florida on Sunday to urge Trump to focus more on discussing his endgame.
TroibNews 
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Florida on Sunday to advise President Donald Trump to concentrate on achieving beneficial trade agreements to prevent a further decline in the stock market, according to two anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.
Bessent, who landed at the White House with Trump on Marine One that same night, warned that markets would continue to be at risk unless Trump began to emphasize his long-term goals concerning tariffs—specifically, securing deals with other governments.
“Bessent’s view was, ‘The markets will keep melting unless you shift,’” one source stated. "You’re not going to abandon the policy, but you have to talk about negotiating and what the endgame is."
Another source indicated that the meeting aimed to devise a strategy following the outreach from 50 nations seeking dialogue about the U.S.'s new tariff policy after the surprising announcement coined "Liberation Day" last week. Bessent described the purpose of Trump's April 2 tariff implementation as an attempt to create "maximum leverage" over foreign nations.
In recent days, Trump and senior officials have been warning the public to prepare for a protracted and painful trade war. Bessent stands out as a significant voice encouraging Trump to convey a more reassuring message to anxious Americans, suggesting that a resolution could be on the horizon.
As the first known adviser to subtly encourage Trump to shift his trade rhetoric, Bessent has confined his advice to messaging. Nevertheless, his counsel appears to be prompting Trump to create more room for discussions publicly, including the potential reduction of some of the aggressive trade barriers established last week.
As a public advocate for the administration's new tariff strategy, Bessent recommended that Trump highlight how these policies will lead to more favorable deals and job growth in the U.S. Wall Street leaders have been perplexed by the administration's approach.
Trump's administration's inconsistent messaging has characterized the landscape since the trade war began. On Monday, Bessent announced that the U.S. would initiate tariff negotiations with Japan, coinciding with an op-ed by trade czar Peter Navarro in the Financial Times reaffirming the administration's "no negotiations" stance from the previous week.
Despite moving forward with negotiations with Japan, Trump is simultaneously escalating trade tensions with China, threatening to impose 104 percent tariffs on Beijing—a move likely to generate considerable market anxiety.
Bessent’s recommendations appear to have led Trump to soften his most extreme statements and officially allow for negotiations with certain countries.
"We have many many countries that are coming to negotiate deals with us, and they’re going to be fair deals,” Trump stated to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon, though he later complicated matters by asserting there would be both “permanent tariffs” and “negotiations,” claiming “can both be true.”
“Some of these tariffs are going to be permanent, and some of them may be up for negotiation,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told PMG, clarifying that this doesn’t guarantee a deal but indicates Trump is open to the idea.
On Monday, Bessent announced on X that Trump had instructed him and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to begin talks with Japan over tariffs, making it the first country to engage in formal negotiations with the U.S.
“Japan remains among America’s closest allies, and I look forward to our upcoming productive engagement regarding tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, currency issues, and government subsidies. I appreciate the Japanese government’s outreach and measured approach to this process,” Bessent posted on X.
He also noted that more than 50 nations had responded “openly and positively” to Trump’s tariffs, expressing optimism about meaningful negotiations in the coming weeks. During a visit to the White House on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to quickly narrow the trade gap and reduce barriers with the U.S.
Trump had begun informing allies during phone calls Monday morning that the conclusion of the tariff strategy would arrive sooner than anticipated and emphasized that discussions were in progress with multiple countries, according to a source familiar with the conversations.
On the stock market front, fluctuations were evident on Monday, with the S&P 500, Dow, and NASDAQ all hovering near zero change at the close, reflecting Wall Street's unease amid the unpredictable trade policy outlook. The market didn’t respond buoyantly to reports of negotiations with Japan, indicating a reluctance to view slight message shifts as positive developments.
However, this marked a rhetorical shift for Trump. He remarked to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night, “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” continuing a metaphor introduced earlier in the week.
The initiation of negotiations with Japan has brought relief to many in Trump’s circle who advocate protectionist policies while recognizing the need for opportunities for compromise. This “fair trade” faction, which includes Bessent and Trump's economic adviser Kevin Hassett, has recently taken a backseat to a more hardline group led by Navarro and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who view tariffs as an end in themselves rather than a means to an end.
Concerns have arisen among some close to Trump regarding the lack of resistance to his aims, with observers noting that advisers may be providing him affirmations rather than the constructive criticism he may need.
A source linked to the White House maintained that the tariff policy remains unchanged, although the administration is keen to consider the offers proposed by other nations. Initial apprehensions regarding the political repercussions of the tariffs have been alleviated by recent internal polling suggesting that support for the tariffs has been strong among Trump's base and working-class voters. However, the source did not disclose details of the polling data.
There hasn't yet been public polling to reflect sentiments following the significant stock market declines triggered by the recent tariff announcements. Nevertheless, stock ownership among Americans has increased in recent years, with more than 60 percent reported in a recent Gallup survey. Many of these individuals have seen their investments suffer considerable losses.
Despite the current market turmoil, Trump appears unruffled, as he reiterated in a Truth Social post encouraging people not to be "weak" and "stupid," but to instead be “strong, courageous and patient.”
Nevertheless, patience may be in limited supply. A CBS News-YouGov poll from late March indicated that only 23 percent of respondents felt better off financially since Trump took office, a drop from 42 percent observed in January.
“‘Since when do people care about the stock market?’ That’s bullshit. That’s fucking bullshit,” declared Dave Portnoy, the president of Barstool Sports and a notable Trump supporter, during a livestream on Monday. “Everybody has the right to panic — Panican Party — and be worried about the stock market, their 401, their portfolio."
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
Bessent, who landed at the White House with Trump on Marine One that same night, warned that markets would continue to be at risk unless Trump began to emphasize his long-term goals concerning tariffs—specifically, securing deals with other governments.
“Bessent’s view was, ‘The markets will keep melting unless you shift,’” one source stated. "You’re not going to abandon the policy, but you have to talk about negotiating and what the endgame is."
Another source indicated that the meeting aimed to devise a strategy following the outreach from 50 nations seeking dialogue about the U.S.'s new tariff policy after the surprising announcement coined "Liberation Day" last week. Bessent described the purpose of Trump's April 2 tariff implementation as an attempt to create "maximum leverage" over foreign nations.
In recent days, Trump and senior officials have been warning the public to prepare for a protracted and painful trade war. Bessent stands out as a significant voice encouraging Trump to convey a more reassuring message to anxious Americans, suggesting that a resolution could be on the horizon.
As the first known adviser to subtly encourage Trump to shift his trade rhetoric, Bessent has confined his advice to messaging. Nevertheless, his counsel appears to be prompting Trump to create more room for discussions publicly, including the potential reduction of some of the aggressive trade barriers established last week.
As a public advocate for the administration's new tariff strategy, Bessent recommended that Trump highlight how these policies will lead to more favorable deals and job growth in the U.S. Wall Street leaders have been perplexed by the administration's approach.
Trump's administration's inconsistent messaging has characterized the landscape since the trade war began. On Monday, Bessent announced that the U.S. would initiate tariff negotiations with Japan, coinciding with an op-ed by trade czar Peter Navarro in the Financial Times reaffirming the administration's "no negotiations" stance from the previous week.
Despite moving forward with negotiations with Japan, Trump is simultaneously escalating trade tensions with China, threatening to impose 104 percent tariffs on Beijing—a move likely to generate considerable market anxiety.
Bessent’s recommendations appear to have led Trump to soften his most extreme statements and officially allow for negotiations with certain countries.
"We have many many countries that are coming to negotiate deals with us, and they’re going to be fair deals,” Trump stated to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon, though he later complicated matters by asserting there would be both “permanent tariffs” and “negotiations,” claiming “can both be true.”
“Some of these tariffs are going to be permanent, and some of them may be up for negotiation,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told PMG, clarifying that this doesn’t guarantee a deal but indicates Trump is open to the idea.
On Monday, Bessent announced on X that Trump had instructed him and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to begin talks with Japan over tariffs, making it the first country to engage in formal negotiations with the U.S.
“Japan remains among America’s closest allies, and I look forward to our upcoming productive engagement regarding tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, currency issues, and government subsidies. I appreciate the Japanese government’s outreach and measured approach to this process,” Bessent posted on X.
He also noted that more than 50 nations had responded “openly and positively” to Trump’s tariffs, expressing optimism about meaningful negotiations in the coming weeks. During a visit to the White House on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to quickly narrow the trade gap and reduce barriers with the U.S.
Trump had begun informing allies during phone calls Monday morning that the conclusion of the tariff strategy would arrive sooner than anticipated and emphasized that discussions were in progress with multiple countries, according to a source familiar with the conversations.
On the stock market front, fluctuations were evident on Monday, with the S&P 500, Dow, and NASDAQ all hovering near zero change at the close, reflecting Wall Street's unease amid the unpredictable trade policy outlook. The market didn’t respond buoyantly to reports of negotiations with Japan, indicating a reluctance to view slight message shifts as positive developments.
However, this marked a rhetorical shift for Trump. He remarked to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night, “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” continuing a metaphor introduced earlier in the week.
The initiation of negotiations with Japan has brought relief to many in Trump’s circle who advocate protectionist policies while recognizing the need for opportunities for compromise. This “fair trade” faction, which includes Bessent and Trump's economic adviser Kevin Hassett, has recently taken a backseat to a more hardline group led by Navarro and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who view tariffs as an end in themselves rather than a means to an end.
Concerns have arisen among some close to Trump regarding the lack of resistance to his aims, with observers noting that advisers may be providing him affirmations rather than the constructive criticism he may need.
A source linked to the White House maintained that the tariff policy remains unchanged, although the administration is keen to consider the offers proposed by other nations. Initial apprehensions regarding the political repercussions of the tariffs have been alleviated by recent internal polling suggesting that support for the tariffs has been strong among Trump's base and working-class voters. However, the source did not disclose details of the polling data.
There hasn't yet been public polling to reflect sentiments following the significant stock market declines triggered by the recent tariff announcements. Nevertheless, stock ownership among Americans has increased in recent years, with more than 60 percent reported in a recent Gallup survey. Many of these individuals have seen their investments suffer considerable losses.
Despite the current market turmoil, Trump appears unruffled, as he reiterated in a Truth Social post encouraging people not to be "weak" and "stupid," but to instead be “strong, courageous and patient.”
Nevertheless, patience may be in limited supply. A CBS News-YouGov poll from late March indicated that only 23 percent of respondents felt better off financially since Trump took office, a drop from 42 percent observed in January.
“‘Since when do people care about the stock market?’ That’s bullshit. That’s fucking bullshit,” declared Dave Portnoy, the president of Barstool Sports and a notable Trump supporter, during a livestream on Monday. “Everybody has the right to panic — Panican Party — and be worried about the stock market, their 401, their portfolio."
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
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