By Jeff Mason and Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had stayed at the G7 meeting in Canada, and suggested Japan was being “tough” in trade talks and the European Union had not yet offered what he considered a fair deal.
Trump left the G7 meeting early to deal with developments in the Middle East from the White House. Speaking to reporters on the trip back on Air Force One, the president said the 27-nation EU had been tough over the years with the United States.
“We’re talking, but I don’t feel that they’re offering a fair deal yet,” Trump said. “They’re either going to make a good deal or they’ll just pay whatever we say they have to pay.”
Trump also said there was a chance of a trade deal between Washington and Japan.
“They’re tough, the Japanese are tough, but ultimately you have to understand we’re just going to send a letter saying ‘this is what you’re going to pay, otherwise you don’t have to do business with us’. But there’s a chance,” he said.
Trump also said pharmaceutical tariffs were coming very soon.
“We’re going to be doing pharmaceuticals very soon. That’s going to bring all the companies back into America,” he said. “It’s going to bring most of them back into, at least partially back in.”
Trump also said Canada would pay to be part of his “Golden Dome” missile shield project.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Alex Richardson)
