President Donald Trump has provided his rationale for an admittedly “not sustainable” tariff policy, claiming simply: “They [China] forced me to do that.” This sets a defiant tone for his upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping.
The summit between the two world leaders is set to occur in just two weeks. Trump’s comments frame the trade war as a conflict he didn’t start but one he intends to win.
“I think we’re going to be fine with China,” Trump said, projecting confidence. “But we have to have a fair deal. It’s got to be fair.” This “fair deal” remains his administration’s key objective.
The talks are shadowed by a November 10 truce expiration date. This truce has paused a trade war that saw import taxes on Chinese goods soar, threatening a global economic slowdown.
Despite calling the policy “not sustainable,” Trump defended the tariffs as essential. “If we didn’t have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing,” he stated, casting the dispute as a matter of national pride.