Two Swiss parliamentarians have asked the Office of the Attorney General to investigate whether gifts allegedly presented to US President Donald Trump by prominent Swiss executives were lawful. The request comes shortly after Bern and Washington reached a landmark agreement to reduce steep US tariffs on Swiss products.

Earlier this month, a Swiss business delegation traveled to Washington in an effort to persuade Trump to roll back his 39 percent tariffs on Swiss exports, among the highest imposed under his global tariff campaign. Not long afterward, a Rolex table clock and an engraved gold bar were spotted on the president’s desk, prompting renewed questions in Bern.

Swiss politicians are angry over Trump’s so called Gold Bar Diplomacy and his approach to trade agreements#Trump #TradeDeal #Diplomacy #PoliticalCartoon #WorldNews pic.twitter.com/VH8qjxJ4Y8

— shishir (@shishir7888) November 27, 2025

When the two governments announced a deal cutting tariffs on Swiss goods to 15 percent just 10 days later, critics reignited what they have labeled “gold bar diplomacy.” The timing of the gifts and the agreement has fueled accusations of inappropriate influence during the negotiations.

Lawmakers demand judicial review

Green MPs Raphael Mahaim and Greta Gysin formally filed a criminal complaint on November 26, arguing that prosecutors must examine whether the gifts breached Swiss anti-corruption statutes or constituted an “undue advantage under Swiss criminal law."

“We believe that the events in question deserve judicial clarification,” they wrote, warning that “this concerns the credibility of our institutions, respect for the rule of law, and Switzerland's international reputation.”

The MPs said it remains unclear how much the items were worth and where they ultimately ended up, noting that “public information regarding the final destination of the gifts given to the American president is incomplete.” Their concerns center on whether such offerings could be perceived as attempts to sway US trade policy.

Rolex CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour and Marwan Shakarchi, who heads precious-metals firm MKS PAMP, were among the executives present at the Washington meeting. While much of the Swiss business community celebrated the tariff reduction as a vital lifeline for the country’s export-focused economy, critics, especially within the Green Party, argue that the episode risks creating the perception of influence-peddling at the highest levels of diplomacy. 

US tariff cut to 15% for Switzerland could take effect in early December

This comes shortly before the United States’ steep 39 percent tariff on Swiss imports may drop to 15 percent as early as the beginning of December, according to Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin, who discussed the timeline in an interview with broadcaster SRF aired on Saturday.

“In Switzerland, we are ready. It takes a bit more time for the USA. I hope everything is fine by early December, but we are pushing,” Parmelin told SRF.

He previously told the Aargauer Zeitung on Tuesday that the government expected the reduced tariffs to be integrated into the system within 10 to 12 working days, though he avoided giving an exact implementation date.

Background on the agreement

Switzerland and the United States reached a preliminary deal on November 14 to reduce the tariff rate to 15 percent. The agreement followed more than three months of elevated duties, imposed by US President Donald Trump, which set the Swiss rate at 39 percent,  the highest applied to any European country.

Parmelin told SRF that more detailed negotiations were set to begin soon, building on the initial agreement. He suggested that Bern may be able to negotiate additional carve-outs beyond the exemptions it has already secured from the new 15 percent general rate.

See that Rolex clock and gold bar?

It looks like those Swiss gifts paid off.

Trump cut tariffs on Swiss goods — like luxury watches — from 39% to 15%.

While Trump’s tariffs increase prices for Americans, billionaire CEOs and foreign companies sucking up to Trump get relief. pic.twitter.com/mEDnURgSuZ

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 15, 2025

“One must not forget, we can also ask for some things ... We can also say we want more exceptions in this area. We think that what we have given can still be lowered,” he said, indicating Switzerland intends to continue pressing for broader relief as talks progress.