Trump Suspends Tariff Insider: Closed-Door Decision with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Treasury, Leaving Some Senior White House Officials Unprepared

On April 10, Trump announced last night the suspension of tariff policies, triggering severe market fluctuations. By compiling media information, the timeline behind this event is as follows: At 9:33 AM local time, Trump posted on Truth Social, urging everyone to “stay calm,” and then added that “now is a good time to buy.” Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo received a call from the EU’s chief trade official Maros Sefcovic, and the EU approved countermeasures against U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum that day. By noon on Wednesday, Raimondo was sitting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in the Oval Office, discussing the latest tariff policies with Trump. At 1:18 PM, Trump announced on Truth Social the decision to suspend tariffs. It is reported that this sudden turn of events even caught some senior officials off guard. After Trump posted, his aides immediately began discussing how to proceed, and Yellen and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre quickly held a press conference. After announcing the tariff suspension, Trump told reporters that he had been considering changing course over the past few days, ultimately deciding that “it might have been concluded this morning.” (Wall Street Journal)