President Donald Trump revealed for the first time on Thursday that the United States is in talks with China on a tariff deal. Trump said a deal could be reached in the next three to four weeks.
Earlier Thursday, Trump met with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni at the White House amid a tariff standoff with the European Union. The talks came a day after Trump met with Japanese officials and spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Meanwhile, Trump is criticizing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, saying his "termination cannot come fast enough" after Powell said he expects Trump's tariff policy to cause higher inflation and slower economic growth.
Trump spoke with UK's Starmer about trade, Ukraine, White House says
President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday about trade, Ukraine-Russia peace talks, and the Middle East, according to the White House.
President Donald Trump arrives at a swearing in ceremony for Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in the Oval Office of the White House, April 18, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
The conversation follows the president meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni amid trade negotiations with countries in Europe.
The White House added that the president "looks forward" to a state visit with King Charles III later this year.
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow
Apr 18, 2025, 11:47 AM EDT
Hassett says 15 trade deals on the table, declines to clarify China talks
Kevin Hassett, the director of the White House National Economic Council, says there are now more than 15 trade deals on the table and that they include "big steps forward" in terms of what the countries are willing to do.
But Hassett repeatedly declined to clarify where talks with China stand and whether President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump have actually spoken. On Thursday, Trump said American and Chinese teams are in discussion for a deal on tariffs.
Director of the National Economic Council of the United States Kevin Hassett answers a question from the news media during a briefing outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, April 14, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
"Have President Trump and President Xi Jinping spoken?" ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang asked Hassett.
"I don't have anything to add on that right now," Hassett said.
Wang also asked if China had reached out, to which Hassett reiterated he didn't have "anything to add."
Apr 18, 2025, 9:45 AM EDT
Trump accepts Meloni's invitation to visit Italy, possibly meet with European leaders
President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni released a joint statement on Friday morning following their meeting on Thursday in Washington. In the statement, the two leaders "confirmed their resolve to promote a mutually beneficial relationship and further strengthen the U.S.-Italy strategic alliance across security, economic, and technological issues."
President Donald Trump meets with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office of the White House, April 17, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
They also said Trump accepted Meloni's invitation for a visit to Italy "in the very near future" and possibly to hold a meeting then between U.S. and European leaders.
Apr 18, 2025, 4:40 AM EDT
US port fees receive a 6-month reprieve
United States businesses, importers, retailers and farmers are breathing a sigh of relief as President Donald Trump's administration announced a phased-in implementation of port fees on "Chinese" vessels, starting with $0 for the first 180 days, rather than the previously announced $1 million to $1.5 million per port of call.
Shipping containers at the Port of Miami stand in front of the skyline of Miami, April 9, 2025.
Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images
The fees, which initially had the potential to be cumulative, or more than $3 million for the affected ships for vessels that are made in China — or operated or owned by a company with any Chinese vessels in its fleet or on order — had drawn unprecedented outcry from the people and companies whom it would affect, since they are already facing increased costs because of tariffs.
Had the fees been issued starting Thursday, as was initially expected, experts predicted that most ships would skip smaller ports for larger ones, creating supply chain and labor issues.
“Currently, ships visit an average of three to four U.S. ports, both large and small, to move American cargo,” Nate Herman, senior vice president of policy for American Apparel & Footwear Association testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in March. "The United States has more than 300 ports — but only 10 major ports."
"If the proposed fees are implemented in every port call, shippers will likely reduce their port visits to just one U.S. port to minimize costs. As a result, calls to secondary ports would largely cease. These secondary ports would face a significant decline in business, leading to potential closures and significant job losses for American longshoremen," Herman told the USTR.
