Trade Deal Facilitated by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick

In a recent interview, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed that he played a key role in setting the stage for a significant trade agreement with the European Union, which was finalized in July. He described his job as orchestrating negotiations in a way that allows the president to close the deal favorably and maximize benefits.

The preliminary agreement involved the Europeans agreeing to purchase $750 billion worth of American energy products and invest $600 billion into U.S. industries and military equipment. President Trump hailed the deal as potentially the largest ever, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also praising Trump’s negotiation skills. Lutnick shared that he advised von der Leyen on how to leverage her authority effectively during negotiations, suggesting she use her influence confidently to counterbalance American demands.

The deal’s terms included a 15% tariff on most European exports to the U.S., despite American goods entering Europe with duties reduced to zero. Lutnick recalled urging EU leaders to negotiate promptly and emphasized that the EU understood the need to change the current trade imbalance, which favored Europe by about $235 billion. He highlighted that maintaining jobs and industries was essential for European support.

Throughout the negotiations, Lutnick said he encouraged von der Leyen to assert her authority and avoid confrontation with Trump, advising her to act as his partner rather than adversary. He recounted last-minute efforts he made to garner support from leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron, helping to prepare von der Leyen for negotiations with Trump. Lutnick also remarked on Trump’s relentless energy during negotiations, noting that Trump’s instinct is to fight harder when challenged.

On personal habits, Lutnick mentioned he typically gets about five hours of sleep per night, while Trump reportedly sleeps even less. He described Trump as a formidable negotiator whose skill is augmented by his energy and the weight of his position as president. Ultimately, Lutnick expressed confidence that Trump’s negotiation prowess often results in better deals than a set-up negotiator like himself could achieve alone.