Türkiye seeks removal of Trump’s ‘lesser of two evils’ tariffs, says trade minister

Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat stated Friday that discussions with U.S. officials regarding the removal of Trump tariffs—set to be implemented at a minimum rate of 10% on Türkiye—will take place during his visit to the U.S. in May, where he will attend the next meeting of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council.

“In mid-May, I will attend the Turkish-American Conference in Washington and hold official meetings with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to discuss a joint action plan aligned with our agreed-upon goals,” he said.

In a post on X, Bolat commented on the tariffs as “the lesser of two evils,” describing them as an effort to revive U.S. domestic industry, reduce the trade deficit, and attract foreign investment. He added that the measures are expected to accelerate the ongoing shift in global supply chains.

Bolat emphasized that Türkiye has been closely monitoring decisions made by the U.S. administration since January and has maintained dialogue with American counterparts at every level. In a recent meeting, he noted, the two sides discussed a roadmap for commercial and economic relations, addressed trade-related challenges, and explored potential areas for deeper cooperation.

Pursuing $100 billion trade target

“In 2024, the United States accounted for 6.2% of Türkiye’s total exports, making it our second-largest export market,” Bolat said. “We will continue working without interruption to reach the $100 billion trade volume target set during the first term of President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and President (Donald) Trump.”

He also stressed that Türkiye aims to develop balanced and mutually beneficial economic relations with the United States, as it does with all its trade partners, in line with a ‘win-win’ approach.

Looking ahead, Bolat said Türkiye would intensify diplomatic efforts and take sector-specific steps to facilitate and strengthen cooperation with the U.S. in order to expand bilateral trade and economic engagement.