President Donald Trump recently claimed he had made “200 deals” on tariffs and trade — but when asked for specifics, his own top officials couldn’t name a single one.
In a Time magazine interview, Trump boasted, “I’ve made 200 deals. 100 percent,” while talking about his 90-day pause on newly announced tariffs. The pause was meant to give countries time to negotiate new terms — except China, which Trump said was exempt from the pause.
However, when pressed about which countries were supposedly involved, Trump got vague. Instead of listing deals, he launched into a bizarre metaphor: “America is like a department store. I set the prices. If you want to shop here, you pay what I say.”
Cabinet Members Struggle to Back Up Trump’s Claims
The confusion deepened when CNN’s Dana Bash interviewed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Bash directly asked Rollins to name even one deal Trump had finalized.
Rollins couldn’t provide a single example. Instead, she said, “We have 100 countries knocking on the door,” and added that she “wasn’t in the room” during negotiations. She mentioned deals were “very, very close” — but “close” is very different from done.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent didn’t do much better. Speaking to ABC’s Martha Raddatz, Bessent said Trump’s 200 deals were actually “sub-deals” — smaller parts of ongoing talks — not finalized agreements. When Raddatz pressed him again, he dodged, mentioning talks with 17 countries but admitting there were no finished deals yet.
Read Also: Trump Promised to ‘Fix the Economy’ on Day 1; Americans Are Still Waiting for Change.
China Calls Out Trump’s Bluff
One of Trump’s biggest claims was about ongoing negotiations with China. But according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, those discussions aren’t even happening.
In an official statement, China said, “The United States and China have not held consultations or negotiations on tariffs, let alone reached an agreement.” They described Trump’s claims as having “no factual basis.”
When reporters asked Trump about this contradiction, he dismissed it by saying journalists had their “reporting wrong” — without providing any evidence.
Meanwhile, China has taken real actions. It slapped retaliatory tariffs on American goods, restricted exports of rare earth minerals to the U.S., and limited dealings with 18 major American manufacturers.
Reporter: “[China is] saying it's fake news that trade talks are happening.”
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) April 24, 2025
Trump: “Well, they had a meeting this morning.”
Reporter: “Who's they?”
Trump: “I can't tell you. It doesn't matter who they is.” pic.twitter.com/lwXsm06gUl
Chaos Disguised as Strategy?
Facing criticism over the lack of clarity, Treasury Secretary Bessent tried to spin the situation. He described the confusing back-and-forth as “strategic uncertainty” — suggesting that the mixed signals are part of Trump’s negotiation tactic.
Critics, however, say it looks more like pure chaos. Despite bold claims, Trump’s administration is scrambling as the 90-day tariff pause window closes — with no actual trade victories to show.
Meanwhile, industries like agriculture and manufacturing — key parts of Trump’s voter base — are already feeling the squeeze. Cancelled shipments, rising costs, and lost overseas markets have led to real financial pain for American farmers and businesses.
RADDATZ: Trump said he's made 200 deals on tariffs. 200 deals? Who has he made deals with? Is there actually any deal at this point?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2025
BESSENT: I believe that he is referring to subdeals within the negotiations we are doing pic.twitter.com/LU8H41eA0P
The Bottom Line
Trump’s repeated boasts about massive trade wins appear, so far, to be empty promises. Despite his administration’s attempts to explain away the confusion, the facts remain: no one can name a single completed deal.
As the clock ticks down, Americans and U.S. businesses are left wondering — are real trade agreements coming, or is this just another round of empty headlines?
