Vietnam Offered Trump a Trade Deal—He Said No. Probably Because There Wasn’t a Bribe Attached

Vietnam Offered Trump a Trade Deal—He Said No. Probably Because There Wasn’t a Bribe Attached

This is not a joke. Vietnam offered to eliminate tariffs—like, reduce them to zero—to avoid Trump’s trade penalties. A total economic surrender. And Trump said no.

Why? Because this was never about fair trade. It’s looking more and more like it was about who’s willing to pay Trump off.

Trump’s top economic enabler, Peter Navarro, called it a “national emergency,” claiming Vietnam was “cheating” by relabeling Chinese goods. But let’s be real—Vietnam’s economy is tiny compared to China’s. That excuse doesn’t even pass the sniff test.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Communist Party General requested a personal meeting with Trump—not with trade reps, not with negotiators, but with Trump himself. Why? To “delay tariffs.”

Translation: Let’s talk under the table.

Now here’s the kicker: Trump has openly criticized the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a law that bans U.S. companies from giving or receiving bribes abroad. He literally said it makes us “less competitive.” And then—surprise!—he signed an executive order weakening enforcement of that same law.

So let’s sum this up:

Vietnam offers total tariff elimination.

Trump rejects it.

Vietnam requests a private meeting.

Trump weakens anti-bribery laws.

And still claims this is about “cheating.”

This isn’t the Art of the Deal.

It’s the Art of the Shakedown.

Corruption is not just back—it’s wearing a red hat and charging tariffs.

Share this before it disappears under a pile of “economic nationalism” talking points.