Fox News clip goes viral as Trump aide can’t name one country with a U.S. trade deal — awkward silence ensues

A tense Fox News exchange between host Bill Hemmer and top US president Donald Trump's economic adviser Stephen Miran, captured an awkward moment that underscores growing scepticism around Trump’s trade deals with US trading partners, as per a report.

Stephen Miran Stumbles on Live TV When Asked About Trade Deals Progress

Appearing on Fox News, Miran, who chairs the Council of Economic Advisers and is known for his vocal support of tariffs and cryptocurrency, struggled to provide a direct answer when asked which country would be first to sign a finalized trade deal with the United States, according to Raw Story.

During the segment, Fox News host Bill Hemmer asked Miran, “Who goes first, if anyone, as of today?” as quoted in the report.


Miran responded, saying, “You mean, who goes first in terms of countries?” adding, “Yeah, so there’s—look, there’s a number of deals in the works, with a number of our trading partners, particularly in Asia and in Europe as well,” as quoted in the report.

He went on to say that he expected a “flurry” of deals to come “as we get close to the deadline because of the process in which these deals are proceeding, where there’s steps that everyone is taking to move the deal forward," adding, “And those steps are designed to yield success around the time of the deadline,” as quoted by Raw Story.

Caught Off Guard: Trump Adviser Was Not Able to Name First Trade Partner

Hemmer, who was not satisfied with Miran's reply, then asked, “Every time we do these segments, I’m just trying to find the name of a country—who will be first in line? Can we say today which country that will be?” as quoted in the report.

However, Miran chose not to mention the name of the country or give any other details as he bluntly responded, “I cannot,” quoted Raw Story.

His remark comes as Trump's pausing of tariffs for the "90 deals in 90 days" deadline is fast approaching on July 9, according to the report.

FAQs

Has any country signed a trade deal yet?
As of now, no. The White House claims there are deals in progress with the UK and China, but neither has been finalized, as per Raw Story.

Will there really be a “flurry” of deals soon?
That’s what Miran claims, but with less than a month left, many are waiting to see if any deals are actually signed.