US president says tariffs on imported goods will come down from 145% rate but insists ‘we’re doing fine with China’

Donald Trump said during a White House news conference that high tariffs on goods from China will “come down substantially, but it won’t be zero”.

Trump’s remarks were in response to earlier comments on Tuesday by treasury secretary Scott Bessent, who said that the high tariffs were unsustainable and that he expects a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

The US president said that the final tariff rate with China would come down “substantially” from the current 145%.

“It won’t be that high, not going to be that high,” Trump said.

China’s government was yet to respond to the news, but has consistently criticised Trump’s tariffs. On China’s social media platform, Weibo, Trump’s remarks trended under various hashtags including “Trump admitted defeat”.

Trump has shown no public indications that he plans to pullback his baseline 10% tariff, even as he has insisted he’s looking for other nations to cut their own import taxes and remove any non-tariff barriers that the administration says have hindered exports from the US.

China on Monday warned other countries against making trade deals with the United States that could negatively impact China.

Archive link

  • Cousin Mose@lemmy.hogru.ch
    3·
    11 hours ago

    Can anyone keep track of this shit? What’s the point of even knowing when he’ll change his mind the very next day?

    • Comment105@lemm.ee
      2·
      5 hours ago

      Yeah, his decisions mean nothing except “halt! careful, dumb shit is happening”

      It’s whatever aftermath he ends up settling on when he stops caring and the thing loses his attention, that’s what needs to be considered and dealt with by the adults who are trying to run things. There’s no point reasoning with him, he doesn’t respond to it.

      He either needs to be convinced he’s won with something insignificant, or he needs to be called on his bluff and you just hope he folds before the functions of your industry do.

      For the rest of us, knowing doesn’t help much. He’s not talking policy he’s talking threats. But for the people trying to manipulate the fool into accepting something less insane, knowing the details can help.