On Truth Social, President Trump claimed on Friday morning that a “80% Tariff on China seems right!” He went on to say that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will determine the exact figure.
The present duty on Chinese goods entering the United States is 145%; a reduction to 80% would be over half of that.
Just a few minutes before, he wrote: “It would be immensely beneficial for China if it opened its market to the United States.” CLOSED MARKETS ARE INOPTIMISTIC!!!
After earlier speculating that the levy may be reduced, the president finally released a definite figure.
Bessent, chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer, and Chinese economic ruler He Lifeng will meet in Switzerland this weekend, and Trump has proposed lowering tariffs in the meantime.
“That was a number the president threw out there, and we’ll see what happens this weekend,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press conference on Friday. Leavitt said that Trump would not unilaterally drop the tariff and that China would be expected to make “concessions.”
Trump said earlier this week that China is ready to negotiate with the United States.
“Scott’s going to be going to Switzerland, meeting with China,” Trump informed reporters at the White House on Thursday. They are eager to reach an agreement, as you well know. Sure, let’s play some games. Who initiated the initial call and who did not? To hell with it. Whatever takes place in that room is all that matters. I can assure you, though, that China is eager to strike a deal. How does that pan out?
After hearing complaints about other nations’ unfair trade practices towards the United States, the Trump administration proposed broad tariffs for other countries on April 2.
On April 9, the government said that it will immediately slap a 145% tax on Chinese exports, while decreasing the reciprocal duties on other nations to a baseline of 10% for 90 days. This was an adjustment to the earlier proposal. In retaliation, China increased duties on American imports to 125%.
