President Donald Trump is facing criticism for his comments about Swiss Confederation President Karin Keller-Sutter during a phone interview with CNBC Tuesday morning, August 5, where he incorrectly referred to her as the prime minister and described her simply as “the woman.”
During the interview, Trump discussed trade tariff negotiations with the European Union and Switzerland. He explained how he reduced tariffs on the EU from 30% to 15% but threatened to raise them back to 35% if the bloc failed to deliver on its pledge to give the United States $600 billion for investment purposes. Trump clarified this was not a loan, stating he could do “anything I want with it.”
The president then turned to discussing Switzerland, incorrectly identifying the Alpine nation as an EU member. “I spoke to their prime minister. The woman was nice, but she didn’t want to listen,” Trump said, referring to President Keller-Sutter.
Karin Keller-Sutter serves as president of the Swiss Confederation, which operates under a unique system featuring a Federal Council with seven members. She is not a prime minister, as Switzerland does not have that position. Keller-Sutter, a member of the Liberal Party, has held the presidential role since 2025 and previously served on the Federal Council since 2019, where she heads the Federal Department of Finance.
Trump expressed frustration about Switzerland’s tariff structure during the call. He claimed the country paid “essentially no tariffs” and said he told Keller-Sutter that the United States had a $41 billion deficit with Switzerland. Trump added that he informed her the country could not continue paying only 1% tariffs.
However, official data shows the U.S. trade deficit with Switzerland in goods was $38.3 billion in 2024, representing a 56.1% increase from $13.8 billion the previous year. The United States also maintains a $29.7 billion surplus in services trade with Switzerland, which Trump’s figure does not account for.
The phone conversation Trump referenced occurred on July 31 and has been described as “disastrous” by multiple sources familiar with the situation. Swiss officials believed they were close to securing a 10% tariff rate, similar to agreements reached with other countries. Instead, Trump announced a 39% tariff on Swiss goods, one of the highest rates globally.
The unexpected tariff announcement came as a shock to Swiss negotiators who thought they had reached a provisional agreement with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Switzerland had offered nearly $150 billion in U.S.-bound investment as part of the negotiations, according to Swiss officials.
Social media users criticized Trump’s language, particularly his reference to Keller-Sutter as “the woman.” One X user noted that she is not a prime minister but rather the president of the Swiss Confederation, questioning whether Trump should know this basic fact.
Following the tariff announcement, Swiss President Keller-Sutter and Economy Minister Guy Parmelin rushed to Washington, D.C. on August 5 for emergency talks with the Trump administration. The hastily arranged trip aimed to secure a last-minute deal before the 39% tariffs took effect on August 8.
The high tariffs are expected to significantly impact Switzerland’s export-oriented economy. The 39% rate affects Swiss goods including watches, chocolates, machinery, and medical equipment. However, Switzerland’s pharmaceutical sector, which accounts for 38.5% of the country’s exports, remains exempt from the tariffs for now.
Economists predict the tariffs could reduce Switzerland’s GDP by approximately 0.6% in the medium term if pharmaceutical products remain protected. However, Trump indicated in his CNBC interview that sector-specific tariffs on pharmaceuticals could reach as high as 250% within the next 18 months.
Swiss businesses have expressed concern about the unpredictability of negotiations with Trump. Ivan Slatkine, head of the Federation of Romandie Enterprises, noted the difficulty of negotiating with someone as unpredictable as the president. He said Swiss companies had been led to believe a deal was essentially complete and only awaited Trump’s signature.
The Swiss government has defended its trade practices, noting that the country unilaterally eliminated all industrial tariffs in 2024, meaning over 99% of U.S. goods enter Switzerland tariff-free. Switzerland also ranks as the sixth-biggest foreign investor in the United States and leads in research and development investment.
Much of the U.S. trade deficit with Switzerland stems from gold exports, which transit through the country for refining and trading purposes. Gold and pharmaceutical products are both exempt from Trump’s current tariff regime, leading to confusion in Swiss government circles about what additional concessions could be offered.
The delegation’s Washington visit concluded without success, as Keller-Sutter was unable to secure a meeting with Trump before her departure. The 39% tariffs officially took effect on August 8, placing Switzerland among the countries facing the highest U.S. import duties, alongside Laos, Myanmar, and Syria.
Swiss media outlets have criticized Keller-Sutter’s handling of the negotiations, with some describing the failed talks as her biggest political defeat. The tabloid Blick called her approach “too naive,” while other publications questioned whether Switzerland’s diplomatic strategy was suited for dealing with Trump’s negotiating style.
The tariff dispute represents a significant challenge for Swiss-U.S. relations, as the United States serves as Switzerland’s top export market for goods. The Swiss government has indicated it will continue seeking a negotiated solution while exploring other options, including potential World Trade Organization complaints or retaliatory measures.
