WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would be willing to extend a July 8 deadline for completing trade talks with countries before higher U.S. tariffs take effect, but did not believe that would be necessary.

The president said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping still need to sign off on a preliminary deal, even though he called it "done."

The Trump administration is “highly likely” to extend next month’s deadline for countries to agree one-for-one trade deals — so long as they are engaged in “good-faith negotiations,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers Wednesday.