What world leaders have said about Trump's prices so far

World leaders reacted to the radical prices of American President Donald Trump with a mixture of criticism, concerns and calls for calm.

As of May 7, there is a coverage rate of 10% on all goods imported into the United States, with limited exemptions for the automotive industry and certain electronics; Additional prices out of 75 countries were interrupted on April 9.

The United States now holds up to 245% prices on imports from China, the manufacturing center, while China retaliated with a 125% tariff on American products.

The Trump administration has repeatedly indicated that it is negotiating with various business partners, including Canada, Mexico and Japan, but none of these talks has so far produced a trade agreement.

Experts from commercial and international relations previously declared to Business Insider that the pressure was now on Trump to conclude trade agreements before the price break ends 90 days from April 9.

However, on May 6, Trump said that he did not need to conclude transactions in response to the request for transactions.

“We don't have to sign agreements, they have to sign agreements with us. They want a piece of our market. We don't want an element in their market,” said Trump at the White House meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

During the night of May 7, Trump teased an advertisement of commercial transactions for Thursday morning.

Here is what world leaders have said about Trump prices and potential negotiations so far.

Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney described Trump's prices on April 2 as “unjustified” and promised to defend jobs in Canada “by protecting supply management, doubling income protection and widening processing capacity.”

At a meeting of May 6 with Trump in the White House, the two leaders said that USMCA – a trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico – could face a overhaul.

“It is a base for a wider negotiation,” said Carney of the USMCA while asking questions about the journalist with Trump. “Some things on this subject will have to change, and part of the way you have carried out these prices took advantage of the existing aspects of the USMCA – so it will have to change.”

Carney is considered by many as a newcomer to politics, but he has decades of experience in finance.

China

Trump and China have so far disagreed on everything, to know if the prices are justified to who has initiated its next trade talks in Switzerland.

“The meeting between Chinese and American senior officials on economic issues was requested by the American party,” Chinese spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, wrote on Wednesday. “Recently, the United States has repeatedly said that it wanted to negotiate with China.”

Trump denied that the United States stood hand first and said: “No”, on May 7, when he was asked if he would plan to reduce his prices on China to help smooth out the discussions to come.

China previously suggested that the United States should first lower the prices imposed to gain confidence.

“China wants to emphasize: in all potential talks and discussions, if the United States does not correct its false unilateral prices, this means that there is a lack of real intention, which will further erode mutual trust,” said the spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce at a press conference on May 2.

“Talking in one direction and acting another, or using talks as a blanket for coercion and pressure, will simply not work with China,” added the spokesperson.

Mexico

Despite 25% of the prices, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has taken a less critical position than most world leaders.

“There are no additional prices on Mexico, and it's good for the country,” said Sheinbaum at a press conference on April 3 after Trump announced large rates the day before.

Sheinbaum said Mexico had been spared more prices due to “the good relationship we have built with the American government, depending on collaboration but with respect”.

In a subsequent daily briefing on April 7, 2025, Sheinbaum confirmed that Mexico would not impose reprisal rates in the United States.

Sheinbaum had also successfully negotiated breaks on the prices imposed in Mexico in February by highlighting his efforts in reducing fentanyl trafficking and the deployment of 10,000 national guard troops on the border, questions listed by Trump as reasons to place homework on Mexico.

Spain

The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described Trump's prices on April 2 on EU imports a “unilateral attack” and “19th century protectionism”.

Sanchez has also quickly announced a assistance package of 14.1 billion euros ($ 15 billion) for affected industries such as aluminum, olive oil and wine.

“We will overcome this unfair crisis without giving up our values,” said Sánchez. “The hand of Europe is tense, and it will always be because the American people, beyond their governments, is a sympathetic people, but that does not mean that we are going to stand and do nothing.”

After Trump has paused an additional price out of 75 trade partners on April 9, Sánchez said the decision could open “a negotiation door”.

Germany

The outgoing Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, said that Trump's decisions on prices are “fundamentally erroneous” and argued Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, when she called for Europe to react “united, strong and appropriate”.

“This is an attack on a commercial order that has created prosperity around the world,” said Scholz at a press conference in Berlin on April 7.

“The entire global economy will suffer from these poorly designed decisions. Companies and consumers around the world, including in the United States, will be affected,” added Scholz. “The US administration is launching on a path that can only cause losses for everyone.”

The German Minister of the Economy, Robert Habeck, said in February that Trump “would complete under pressure” if Europe regroups.

The conservative chief Friedrich Merz has become the new German Chancellor of May 7 and has not yet discussed the prices.

Australia

Anthony Albanian, the Prime Minister of Australia and the Labor Party leader, clearly said that there would be no reprisals against the United States.

“It is the American people who will pay the highest price of these unjustified prices,” Albanese said in a statement on April 3. “This is why our government will not seek to impose reciprocal prices. We will not join a race on the merits which leads to higher prices and slower growth.”

Although he criticized Trump's prices, Albanese said that there will be “a continuous constructive commitment” with the United States, because history between the two countries is “greater than a bad decision”.

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged Trump to reduce prices against Japan during a telephone call with Trump on April 7, but said that an agreement “would not come overnight”.

“I told the president that Japan was the largest investor in the United States in the United States for five consecutive years and that pricing policies could affect the investment capacities of Japanese companies,” Ishiba said at a press conference after the appeal.

During Trump's first term as president, the United States and Japan signed a bilateral trade agreement in 2019 which reduced prices on American agricultural products, Japanese machine tools and other products while preventing higher tasks on Japanese automobile exports.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on April 21 that Tokyo had no plan to put an end to the trade agreement concluded in 2019, but will continue to express a “serious concern” concerning the inconsistency between the agreement and the Trump's latest car rates.

Ryosei Akazawa, the chief of the Japanese price, has visited Washington, DC, in recent weeks.