July 9th Arrives, But Trade Deals Remain Elusive
(As July 9th arrives, Trump scrambles for symbolic trade deals to claim credit. Possible comprehensive pacts with India, the EU, and others remain out of reach.)
With July 9th upon us, and Trump Administration is in panic to sign trade deals any deals. A comprehensive U.S.-India-EU-Japan-Korea trade deal look unlikely. At best, a skeletal framework may emerge—similar to the UK’s deal or the EU’s ongoing talks—deferring hard issues for later.
Such preliminary deals give President Trump just enough to boast. In the media spotlight, he’ll present himself as the ultimate dealmaker, claiming credit not just for trade talks, but also for efforts to end the Ukraine war, free hostages from Hamas, and pressure India over South Asia tensions. Notably, he and Israel may deserve credit for delaying Iran’s nuclear ambitions by 5–10 years.
In the end, if Trump can seal deals with India, the EU, Japan, Canada, and Mexico, that alone would count as a considerable success—despite the mix of wins and misses.