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3471President Donald Trump promised 90 trade deals in 90 days, but so far, it hasn’t happened.
As of Day 64, the administration has not finalized a single agreement. The gap between the promise and the outcome has drawn sharp criticism, social media ridicule, and concern from trade experts.
Big Talk, Little Progress
In April, the White House announced its goal of signing trade agreements with up to 90 countries in 90 days.
The move was presented as a bold push to realign the U.S. position in global trade, using steep tariffs to pressure countries into quick deals.
“It’s called negotiation,” Trump said at the time, defending the tariff-first approach he and his team favored.
But two months into the plan, the only agreement close to reality is a nonbinding framework with the United Kingdom.
Trade experts argue it’s more of a conversation starter than a finished deal.
The material released by the two governments looked more like a set of discussion topics about what they intended to negotiate, not firm commitments, said Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade negotiator.
Trade Deals Usually Take Years
A New York Times analysis found that major U.S. trade deals typically take around 917 days, about two and a half years, from start to finish.
Trump’s own past efforts reflect that: the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement took around 1000 days from the start of negotiations on Aug. 16, 2017, to when the agreement was signed on Nov. 30, 2018, and was fully implemented by July 1, 2020.
The Phase One agreement with China, signed on Jan. 15, 2020, took over 600 days from initial talks beginning on May 2, 2018.
Now, with just under a month left, pressure is mounting. Critics say the administration underestimated the complexity of trade negotiations.
Even Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has walked back initial claims, saying last month that the U.S. is negotiating with 17 “very important trading relationships.”
That’s far from the original 90-country vision.
Trump: “We Don’t Have To Sign Deals”
During a recent meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump struck a different tone.
“We don’t have to sign deals, they have to sign deals with us,” he said.
“They want a piece of our market. We don’t want a piece of their market.”
He also vented about the pressure to deliver results. “I wish they’d … stop asking, how many deals are you signing this week?” he said.
“Because one day we’ll come and we’ll give you 100 deals.”
This new rhetoric appears to conflict with what senior officials have been saying publicly for weeks.
Trump hinted that some deals could roll out soon, but so far, nothing concrete has been shared. The White House has offered no specific updates or timelines.
Mounting Criticism and Mixed Messaging
The administration has sent letters to several countries asking them to send their “best offers” for trade deals.
Experts warn that trying to get quick wins might only create deals that don’t mean much.
According to Inu Manak from the Council on Foreign Relations, this approach means “trade agreements simply are just not what they used to be.”
The administration insists work is ongoing, but with no signed deals and time running out, the gap between the promise and the reality continues to grow.
Even if some agreements are announced in the final weeks, it’s unclear whether they’ll be meaningful or simply political placeholders meant to claim victory without delivering lasting results.
With just weeks left in the 90-day clock, it remains to be seen whether the administration will secure any concrete trade agreements or if this bold promise will become another example of overreach in U.S. trade history.
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