Trump freezes trade tariffs amid growing internal dissent

US President Donald Trump has paused the implementation of sweeping new trade tariffs following a private, last-minute intervention by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Bessent and Lutnick had reportedly been seeking an opportunity to speak with the president directly to express their concerns about the tariff strategy, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

However, their efforts were complicated by the persistent presence of Peter Navarro, Trump’s chief trade advisor and a vocal proponent of aggressive trade measures, who was said to be "constantly lingering" outside the Oval Office.

Their chance came on the morning of April 9, when Navarro was scheduled to meet with Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett in another part of the White House. Seizing the brief window of opportunity, Bessent and Lutnick quickly made their way to the Oval Office for an unscheduled meeting with Trump. 

With Navarro temporarily out of the picture and unable to counter their arguments, the two cabinet secretaries succeeded in persuading the president to hit pause on the planned tariffs. Bessent and Lutnick reportedly remained with Trump in the Oval Office until he published a post on Truth Social, officially announcing a 90-day suspension of the tariffs. Minutes later, Bessent and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared before reporters to deliver a public statement. 

While a spokesperson for Bessent declined to confirm or deny the report, a representative for Lutnick emphasized that the president’s team is acting in coordination. Tensions over the tariff policy have also exposed deeper rifts within Trump’s inner circle. Just one day before the suspension was announced, Navarro found himself in a public war of words with billionaire Elon Musk. In a pointed remark, Navarro claimed Musk is not a true automaker but merely an “assembler,” arguing that Tesla vehicles rely heavily on parts imported from abroad.

By Naila Huseynova