Finance & economics | The tariff show

How to strike a trade deal with Donald Trump

Vietnam is the latest country to secure concessions

panoramic view of Cat Lai international port, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Photograph: Alamy
|3 min read

Another agreement, another personal triumph. “It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” President Donald Trump wrote on July 2nd. “Dealing with General Secretary To Lam, which I did personally, was an absolute pleasure.” The deal showed countries were caving in to his threats, he said.

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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The tariff show”

From the July 5th 2025 edition

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