Trump reportedly delayed tariffs because of the Swiss president

^{Photo: Swissinfo}
Just hours before Donald Trump announced a 90-day suspension of tariffs, he held a key phone call with the President and Finance Minister of Switzerland, Karin Keller-Sutter.

According to Bloomberg, this conversation was one of the decisive factors in Trump’s decision to soften his stance in the ongoing trade conflict.

Keller-Sutter, who simultaneously serves as both finance minister and head of state, described the April 9 conversation on social media as “open and constructive.” She said that Bern presented its position on bilateral trade and outlined ways to accommodate U.S. interests. The two sides agreed to continue negotiations soon.

Bloomberg analysis noted that the Swiss president got straight to the point within 30 minutes, emphasizing facts that directly affected Trump’s personal financial interests.

Keller-Sutter highlighted Switzerland’s role in the U.S. economy: the country ranks 6th in U.S. investments, 4th in manufacturing, and 1st in research and development.

“I explained this to President Trump — and I believe it played a role in his decision,” she said.

Trump had previously intended to impose a 31% tariff on all Swiss imports — even higher than the 20% set for the European Union. This caused serious concern in Bern: Switzerland’s economy is heavily export-oriented, and such high tariffs would have dealt a major blow to key sectors.

Additionally, it was revealed that certain luxury models of the “Trump Watches” brand are produced in Switzerland, including a $2,999 chronograph and a $100,000 Tourbillon model. The tariffs could have pushed this production to the brink of bankruptcy.

Moreover, Switzerland’s gold exports to the U.S. have surged dramatically just as global precious metal prices are reaching historic highs. It was during this time that Switzerland managed to secure the tariff freeze.

Now the question arises: how long will this last — and will Trump reimpose tariffs after three months? Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!