Trump: Additional 100% Tariffs on China Not Sustainable
President Donald Trump, when asked if another 100% tariff on top of existing tariffs on Chinese goods would damage the economy, said, "It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is."
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
Trump was interviewed by Maria Bartiromo, and the clip aired Oct. 17. Bartiromo had asked if tariffs that high "could stand," and Trump continued, "You know, it could stand, but they forced me to do that."
Trump also did not sound definitive that 100% tariffs are coming Nov. 1, as he previously threatened on social media, then suggested things would work out a few days later.
"We'll see what happens with China," he said. "I've always had a good relationship with China, as you know."
He said he would meet with China's leaders in South Korea in a few weeks.
Later in the day, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would meet with China's vice premier in Malaysia "probably a week from tomorrow to prepare for the two presidents to meet. I think things have de-escalated. We hope China will show the respect we have shown them."
He expressed optimism that, because of Trump's relationship with China's president, the two countries' trade relationship soon would be "back on a good course."
Trump added, "I think we're in a very strong position. We're getting, as you know, as of November 1st -- I could move it up if I wanted -- a 100% tariff over and above what we get now. So that would make it about 157%. And China doesn't want that, and they want to talk, and we're talking, and I think we'll make a deal that will be good for both."