President Donald Trump sent a deeply mixed message on the China trade war, calling his tariffs “not sustainable” in one breath, while in the next, appearing to defend them: “We have a 100% tariff.”
This contradictory rhetoric comes just two weeks before a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump insisted China “forced” him to impose the duties.
The president also offered conflicting outlooks on the talks. He said, “I think we’re going to be fine,” but also, “I don’t know what’s going to happen,” warning that “China is always looking for an edge.”
The meeting, expected at the APEC summit in South Korea, is critical due to the looming November 10 expiration of a 90-day trade truce. This truce has paused duties that had roiled global markets.
Trump’s main justification for the tariffs, even if “not sustainable,” is leverage. “If we didn’t have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing,” he stated, underlining his demand for a “fair deal.”