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Kevin Hassett, Chair of the White House National Economic Council, walks toward the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 27. / Source: AFP-Yonhap News

A top White House official has warned that the United States will impose tariffs on countries that fail to reach trade agreements with the Trump administration by August 1, signaling a tough stance amid ongoing negotiations.

Kevin Hassett, Chair of the National Economic Council (NEC), said in an interview with ABC on July 13 that the tariffs previously announced by President Donald Trump were not just a negotiation tactic but could be implemented if no “sufficiently good” deals are reached.

“If President Trump doesn’t believe a good enough deal has been made, the tariffs will go into effect,” Hassett said. “Talks are ongoing, and we’ll see what happens.”

He added that President Trump had reviewed some of the deals brokered by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the U.S. negotiating team with the European Union, Mexico, and Canada but “believes they need to be improved.”

Asked specifically about the unusually steep 50% tariff imposed on Brazil, Hassett explained, “President Trump has deep dissatisfaction with Brazil’s trade conduct and negotiations. The high tariff is tied to his displeasure with former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.”

Trump has previously criticized Bolsonaro’s prosecution in Brazil—over an alleged coup plot—as politically motivated, calling it a “witch hunt” against his longtime ally.