Economy

Greer: Trump’s Tariffs Paying Off With Major Trade Wins

Published

July 31, 2025

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer appeared on The Ingraham Angle to announce a major trade breakthrough with South Korea. The agreement is part of a broader expansion of the Trump administration’s aggressive trade agenda. Fresh off a trip to Sweden, Greer described it as a landmark deal following recent agreements with the European Union, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan.

“Korea has always been very challenging on trade,” Greer told Laura Ingraham. “We’ve had an agreement with them in past years, but our trade deficit with Korea has continued to be extensive.” What’s changed, he explained, is that President Trump used the strength of the U.S. market to secure significant concessions.

According to Greer, the new agreement includes $350 billion in U.S. investment access across critical sectors such as shipbuilding. This commitment marks a major expansion of industrial cooperation between the two countries. In addition, South Korea has committed to $100 billion in energy purchases over the coming years. “This is exactly the sweet spot that President Trump is hitting—partner after partner—and he’s done it tonight with South Korea,” Greer said.

Energy Commitments and European Investment Strategy

Greer also responded to criticism of the European Union’s pledge to purchase $250 billion in U.S. energy through the end of Trump’s term. Contrary to media reports, he said the offer came from Europe—not the U.S. “The energy purchases, that was one of the first things that the Europeans brought to us,” he noted. “The president leveraged that into an even larger sum.”

He said European leaders now recognize their own energy competitiveness crisis. “Instead of getting the fossil fuels they do use from Russia, they’ll be getting it from us,” Greer added. He described the shift as both economically pragmatic and geopolitically sound.

Greer emphasized that enforcement will be continuous. “We will constantly be monitoring enforcement,” he said. “The Commerce Department is also involved on the investment side and has an investment accelerator designed to help implement all of this.”

He explained that the deal is structured to benefit both sides. “It’s a collaborative deal that’s good for the Europeans and good for us,” he added.

Greer also revealed that private European companies plan to invest an additional $600 billion in greenfield projects in the United States. These investments will fund new factories and facilities, creating jobs and strengthening the industrial base. “It’s naturally in the interest of European companies to come in, build here, for this market,” he said.

Tariffs, Inflation, and Trump’s Engagement With Business Leaders

Greer also addressed concerns about tariffs raised by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Powell suggested tariffs might drive inflation. Greer disagreed. “We’ve had substantial tariffs in place since early February,” he said. “If it hasn’t shown up by now, is it going to?”

He pointed out that during Trump’s first term, inflation declined even while tariffs were imposed on China. “That relationship is not clear at all,” Greer added.

Discussing President Trump’s meetings with JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Greer said such interactions are routine. “The president meets with a lot of people all the time,” he said. Greer recalled Dimon’s remarks on tariffs: “Get over it, and we’ll work with it.” He added, “I’d be talking to him too if I was the president.”

Greer: Trump’s Trade Strategy Is Producing Results

As the segment concluded, Greer emphasized that the administration’s trade approach—strategic tariffs combined with deal-making leverage—is producing results. From reshoring factories to improving energy partnerships, the strategy is creating measurable gains. “It’s working—and we’re not done yet,” he told Ingraham. He highlighted how investment, trade, and job creation are building momentum as the administration moves into its next phase.