Overview
- In a Fox Business interview, President Trump said he raised tariffs on Swiss imports from 30% to 39% because he disliked the way Swiss official Karin Keller‑Sutter spoke to him, mistakenly calling her the prime minister.
- Trump described an “emergency call” he said was “very aggressive,” recounting that he increased the rate by nine percentage points rather than granting a reduction.
- Legal commentators said the remarks undercut the administration’s argument that the tariffs were justified by national security concerns in a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Negotiators later reached a preliminary understanding to lower the tariff to about 15% after Swiss industry pledged roughly $200 billion in U.S. investments by 2028.
- Reports say Swiss authorities are examining gifts, including a Rolex watch and a gold bar, reportedly given by a Swiss delegation during talks that preceded the tariff reduction, as Trump’s claims of a $42 billion deficit and “no tariffs” are disputed by analysts when services are counted.