Vietnam has indeed made an offer to remove all tariffs on U.S. imports as a strategic move to avoid the steep 46% tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on Vietnamese goods. This development follows a phone call on April 4, 2025, between Trump and Vietnam’s leader, To Lam, which Trump described as “very productive.” During the call, Lam expressed Vietnam’s willingness to cut its tariffs on U.S. goods to zero, contingent on reaching an agreement with the U.S. This offer was formalized in a letter from Lam to Trump on April 5, 2025, where he also requested a postponement of the U.S. tariff implementation, set to take effect on April 9, 2025, by at least 45 days to allow for further negotiations.
Vietnam’s proposal comes in the context of its significant trade surplus with the U.S., which exceeded $123 billion in 2024, making it a prime target for Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy aimed at addressing trade imbalances. The Southeast Asian nation had already begun reducing tariffs on various U.S. products—such as liquefied natural gas, cars, and ethanol—in late March 2025 as a preemptive measure. The offer to eliminate all tariffs represents an escalation of Vietnam’s diplomatic efforts to mitigate the economic impact of the impending U.S. duties, which threaten its export-driven economy, where goods to the U.S. account for about 30% of its GDP.
Trump has responded positively, indicating on Truth Social that he looks forward to a future meeting with Lam, and the Vietnamese government has noted that Trump accepted an invitation to visit Vietnam soon. Both leaders have agreed to continue discussions toward a bilateral agreement on tariffs, suggesting a potential de-escalation of trade tensions if negotiations succeed. However, without a deal, the 46% U.S. tariff on Vietnamese imports will proceed as planned on April 9, 2025.
