Trump on tariffs: August 1 deadline is firm but he is open to other ideas

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said the August 1 effective date for U.S. tariffs was firm, but that he was open to extensions if countries made proposals.

Asked if the deadline was firm, Trump said: "I would say firm, but not 100% firm. If they call up and they say we'd like to do something a different way, we're going to be open to that."

Trump on Monday began telling trade partners - from powerhouse suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players - that sharply higher U.S. tariffs would start August 1, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched earlier this year.