U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that after the United States imposes tariffs on its major trading partners, it could begin bilateral talks with countries to negotiate new trade agreements. This follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose a 200% tariff on wine, cognac, and other alcohol imports from Europe, sparking concerns of a broader global trade war that has unsettled financial markets and fueled fears of recession.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Rubio emphasized that the tariffs were not targeted at any specific country but applied globally, including Canada, Mexico, and the EU. He explained that the U.S. would retaliate against nations that had imposed tariffs on it and seek to establish a new baseline of fairness and reciprocity in international trade.
“This is global. It’s not against any one country, but it’s about resetting the baseline to ensure fairness for the U.S.,” Rubio said. Once that new baseline is set, the U.S. may enter bilateral negotiations for new trade arrangements that benefit both parties, though he provided no specifics on what those deals might look like.
Rubio stressed that the current trade status quo is unsustainable, adding, “What we have now cannot continue. We are going to set a new status quo, and then we can negotiate from there if other nations are interested.”
