We need to understand them: members of the Trump administration must be seriously short on sleep. Officially, the White House says it is satisfied with the progress made. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has admitted that a postponement of the deadline could be considered for countries "negotiating in good faith."

Fifteen countries committed, uncertainties remain

To date, discussions are underway with about 15 countries, including South Korea, Japan, and the European Union. The G7 summit, scheduled for June 15-17 in Canada, should provide a clearer picture of progress, particularly in negotiations between major powers. Japan hopes to conclude an agreement at this meeting, with a bilateral meeting planned between the Japanese Prime Minister and Donald Trump.

Take Japan, for example. Akazawa Ryosei, Minister for Economic Revitalization and chief negotiator on tariffs, has visited the US six times since the truce began, including four times in as many weeks. Despite these efforts, the Japanese Prime Minister has reiterated that the outcome of the negotiations will depend primarily on the final decision of the US President.

In reality, it is not surprising that these negotiations are taking time. Redefining such fundamental trade relations cannot be done in a matter of days, even with shared political will. In this context, the possibility of a postponement of the deadline seems less a sign of deadlock than a logical consequence of the seriousness of the discussions underway.

The prospect of several postponements of agreements seems all the more credible, given that Donald Trump retains considerable leeway: he can at any time call into question weeks of tariff negotiations, depending on his priorities at the time.

Thus, the prospect of seeing agreements adjusted down to the smallest detail after July 9 seems entirely credible.

It is therefore likely that the countries involved in the most complex negotiations will be granted more time.

But the strategy could also become tougher.

A return to unilateralism?

Later in the day, Donald Trump said: "At some point, we'll just send letters saying, "Here's the deal. Take it or leave it," he said. "That moment will come, but we're not there yet."

Last week, Washington asked countries to submit their best offers. These two pieces of information are most certainly linked.

Initially intended as a period conducive to a series of bilateral agreements, this trade truce could lead to a return to unilateralism. Countries with less leverage over Washington risk having conditions imposed on them that are inspired by agreements already concluded with other countries.