President Donald Trump defended his administration’s high-tariff policy on China, arguing that although the situation is “not sustainable,” it was a necessary step because “they forced me to do that.”
This justification of a policy he admits is flawed comes just before a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks. Trump maintained a publicly optimistic outlook, stating, “I think we’re going to be fine with China.”
However, the president also injected a dose of uncertainty. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens,” he said, adding that “China is always looking for an edge” in negotiations.
The meeting is set against the backdrop of an expiring truce. A 90-day pause in the trade war, which had seen duties climb as high as 145%, will end on November 10 unless an extension or a deal is reached.
Trump’s stance remains firm on the goal, even if the method is “not sustainable.” He is demanding a “fair deal” and continues to frame the tariffs as essential, arguing that without them, the US “would be exposed as being a nothing.”