Over 50 nations want to start trade talks with US after tariffs, Trump officials say

Top US officials on Sunday defended sweeping new tariffs rolled out by President Donald Trump, saying more than 50 nations have reached out to the White House to begin trade talks, even as the levies wiped out nearly $6 trillion in value from US stocks last week and raised concerns over economic fallout.

US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Bloomberg)

Amid concerns over a shaky start to Asian stock markets on Monday, Donald Trump’s top economic advisers on Sunday morning talk shows sought to portray the tariffs as a savvy repositioning of the US in the global trade order.