What Has Trump Been Busy With in the Past 24 Hours? (2025-07-16)

1. Not in a hurry to engage in dialogue with Iran——U.S. President Trump stated in a speech on Tuesday that he is not in a hurry to engage in dialogue with Iran.

2. Reached a trade agreement with Indonesia——A 19% tariff will be imposed on goods imported from Indonesia, while U.S. exports to Indonesia will enjoy duty-free and non-tariff barrier treatment. If goods are transshipped from Indonesia, the tariff will be combined with the tariff from the country of origin.

3. Tariff letters to smaller countries will be sent soon——Trump stated that tariff letters to smaller countries will be sent out soon, adding that a tariff of “slightly above 10%” might be imposed on these countries. The agreement with Vietnam has been basically finalized.

4. Powell is sufficient to be fired——Trump said Powell's stance on renovating the Federal Reserve building is somewhat reminiscent of being fired for misconduct; Bessent is a candidate to replace the Federal Reserve Chairman, but he is satisfied with Bessent's performance as Secretary of the Treasury.

5. Assisting pension plans to invest in private markets——Insiders say that U.S. President Trump is expected to sign an executive order in the coming days aimed at helping U.S. pension plans invest more in private markets.

6. Dinner with the Prime Minister of Qatar——Trump will have dinner with the Prime Minister of Qatar on Wednesday to discuss negotiations on hostages in Gaza and ceasefire agreements. Qatar is a major mediator in the Gaza agreements between Israel and Hamas.

7. Withdrawal of National Guard soldiers in Los Angeles——U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 National Guard soldiers who were on federal protective duty in Los Angeles.