Trump targets Switzerland over trade deficit with ‘one pen stroke’ warning

President Donald Trump has issued a subtle warning to Switzerland over the US trade deficit with the country.

In an interview clip on August 7 widely circulating on the X, President Trump takes a swipe at Switzerland wrapped in implicit wording.

Trump said, “Take a look at Switzerland. We have a $39 billion deficit. I can wipe out that deficit in one stroke of the pen and they're no longer an elite country. Yet they pay one-half of one percent interest. They're the lowest ones.”

“And all I have to do is say, ‘I don't want any of your watches. I don't want any of your goods.’ And we save ourselves $39, $41 billion, and they go from being elite to being very troubled,” he added.

Trump continued, “Fortunately, I'm a nice person.”

Earlier, the Trump administration enacted a steep 30 percent ad valorem tariff on Swiss imports, including precision goods and high-end watches. Later in late 2025, it was reduced to 15 percent in a landmark deal. In turn, the Swiss country also lowered import duties on selected US agricultural and industrial goods.

According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the Swiss country is one of the top trading partners of the US, surpassing the $290 billion mark in total goods and services traded yearly.

In 2025, the total trade in goods and services between the two countries reached approximately $292.9 billion. The trade deficit between the United States and Switzerland stood at $8.12 billion in 2025. In 2024, it was around $9.58 billion.

When it comes to foreign direct investment, Switzerland is the 6th-largest source of FDI in the US. Moreover, $350 billion Swiss investment in the US to support hundreds of thousands of American jobs.