US President Donald Trump announced a new trade agreement with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after a high-level meeting at the White House focused on economic and military cooperation.
Taking to his platform, Truth Social, Trump declared that the Philippines would move toward an open market policy with zero tariffs on US imports. &ldquo;The Philippines will pay a 19% tariff,&rdquo; he added, though the statement sparked confusion due to conflicting messaging.
Trump praised Marcos as a &ldquo;tough negotiator&rdquo; and &ldquo;highly respected leader,&rdquo; emphasising the deepening ties between the two nations. &ldquo;It was a great honour to be with the President,&rdquo; Trump said, also confirming a commitment to military cooperation moving forward.
Interestingly, the announcement comes just weeks after Trump had threatened to impose a 20% tariff on Philippine goods if no agreement was reached by August 1, a deadline set for all countries seeking favourable US trade terms.
In the Oval Office, Trump said the two nations were &ldquo;very close&rdquo; to finalising the deal. President Marcos echoed the sentiment, calling US-Philippines ties &ldquo;as important a relationship as is possible to have.&rdquo;
While the White House has yet to release official documentation on the trade deal, the statement signals a potential shift in U.S.-Philippines trade dynamics amid rising global economic protectionism.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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US President Donald Trump with  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Trump announces zero-tariff trade deal after meeting Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at White House

Trump Strikes Trade Deal with Philippine President

Trump announces zero-tariff trade deal after meeting Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at White House

July 23, 2025 | 09:46 IST