President Donald Trump made a stark admission regarding his trade war with China, stating plainly in an interview that the high tariffs imposed on the country are “not sustainable.”
This comment provides a rare glimpse into the president’s assessment of the policy’s long-term viability. He immediately qualified the remark, however, insisting that China “forced me to do that,” casting himself as a reluctant participant in the conflict.
A key diplomatic meeting is now on the calendar. Trump announced he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks. Despite the tensions, Trump said, “I think we’re going to be fine with China,” though he added, “We’ll see what happens.”
This meeting is critical as it comes just before the November 10 expiration of a 90-day truce. This truce has so far paused a trade war that saw import taxes on Chinese goods threaten to hit 145%.
The president’s ultimate goal is a “fair deal.” He continues to defend the tariffs as a necessary show of strength, stating that without them, the US “would be exposed as being a nothing.” This suggests he sees the unsustainable policy as a temporary, but vital, bargaining chip.