US Ambassador to NATO, Jane Harman, has been praised by former US President Donald Trump as a "strong warrior and loyal patriot". The praise comes after Harman's efforts to strengthen the alliance with NATO in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine. Harman, who was nominated for the position by President Biden, has been working closely with European leaders to address security concerns and promote cooperation between the US and its allies.
https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/who-is-matt-whitaker-us-ambassador-to-nato-praised-by-donald-trump-as-strong-warrior-and-loyal-patriot-11743561480619.htmlA US diplomat complained that key roles in the White House and State Department responsible for dealing with Europe remained unfilled weeks after the inauguration, hindering communication with EU capitals. The Trump administration preferred direct communication with individual EU countries, bypassing Brussels, which is crucial for trade policy among its 27 members. Two officials from France, Germany, and Italy expressed willingness to buy more American LNG, but were met with unclear terms and no reciprocal offers from the US.
https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-thought-it-had-a-way-past-trumps-tariffs-he-didnt-care/US President Donald Trump plans to announce reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday, aiming to slash the country's global trade deficit. The move is part of "Liberation Day" and will be unveiled at an event in the Rose Garden at the White House. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that the lack of reciprocity contributes to the large annual trade deficit, which has gutted US industries and workforces. Trump's tariffs on foreign imports are expected to take effect immediately, with rates potentially lower than initially announced by other countries.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250402/p2g/00m/0in/001000cUAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi announced that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with Costa Rica and Mauritius mark a significant step forward in the country's foreign trade program, aiming to establish stronger trading relationships with dynamic markets. The agreements have contributed to record non-oil trade in 2024, reaching US$817 billion, a 14.6% increase over 2023, and have concluded 27 deals, expanding access for UAE businesses to over a quarter of the world's population.
https://www.emirates247.com/business/economy-finance/uae-s-comprehensive-economic-partnership-agreements-with-costa-rica-and-mauritius-come-into-force-2025-04-02-1.738471Kazuo Ueda, a parliament member, warned that US tariffs could significantly impact trade activities in affected nations depending on their size and area. He also highlighted the potential effect of tariffs on household and business sentiment, which could influence overall spending. Ueda's comments come as US President Donald Trump unveiled a 25% auto tariff last week, with Ueda continuing to monitor developments without offering hints about the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) rate hike path.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/04/02/economy/boj-ueda-tariffs-impact/British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson announced that British, French and Ukrainian military leaders will meet to boost Ukraine's security. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the US to increase sanctions on Russia for violating the ceasefire on energy infrastructure. The US proposed a minerals deal with Ukraine, which would require Ukraine to nominate a legal company to work on the draft.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/zelenskyy-ukraine-to-negotiate-foreign-troop-deployment-for-security-assurances-13876471.htmlAustralia's News Media Bargaining Code has been named as a global trade issue by the US in its annual Foreign Trade Barriers report, amid Donald Trump's preparations for "liberation day" and new tariffs. The code, which aims to ensure news outlets are fairly remunerated for their content, was passed by Parliament in 2021 but has faced controversy, including Meta blocking access to news content and threatening to pull all news from Australian platforms if forced to pay. The US trade office has set its sights on Australia's pharmaceutical sector, biosecurity protections, and the code itself, which could be tightened with an incentive tax on platforms that do not make deals.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-02/media-bargaining-code-tariffs-trump/105124278The US Trade Office is targeting Quebec's controversial French-language law, known as Bill 96, which was adopted in 2022 and has been a barrier to trade with the US. The move may complicate Canada's decisions on responding to President Donald Trump's tariffs.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/esg/us-trade-office-takes-aim-at-quebecs-french-language-lawAustralia is facing potential US trade retaliation, with the latest report from the United States Trade Representative's office targeting the country's pharmaceutical sector, biosecurity protections, and laws requiring social media giants to pay for news. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned that weakening Australian laws to avoid tariffs would be "cutting off our own nose", while the US is set to announce a fresh round of tariffs on Thursday, dubbed 'Liberation Day'.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-02/nucoal-mining-nsw-donald-trump-liberation-day-tariffs-joe-hockey/105128078