U.S. Prioritizes Deal Quality Over Tariff Deadline, Says Treasury Secretary Bessent

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday the Trump administration is prioritizing the quality of trade agreements over meeting the Aug. 1 tariff deadline. Speaking to CNBC, Bessent said Trump would decide whether to extend talks with countries making progress, but warned that higher tariffs could increase pressure for better deals. He noted upcoming U.S.-China talks and criticized Beijing’s purchases of sanctioned Iranian and Russian oil. Bessent also urged Europe to align with possible U.S. secondary tariffs on Russia and said Japan’s internal politics were not a concern compared to securing favorable terms for Americans.