He has long said that US trade deficits are the result of unfair practices that need to be corrected, though his tariffs also hit countries with which the US has a trade surplus.
“NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances, and Non-Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other Countries have used against us, especially not China, which, by far, treats us the worst!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform today.
In addition to the general reprieve for other countries, over the weekend Trump issued exemptions for Chinese-made semiconductors and electronics, amid warnings that US consumers faced skyrocketing prices for products such as smartphones and laptops.
Today, however, Trump asserted that there was “no tariff ‘exception’” on those products, saying that they remained subject to a 20% rate in “a different tariff ‘bucket’”.
Earlier, Beijing’s Commerce Ministry had said the weekend’s move only “represents a small step” and insisted that the Trump administration should “completely cancel” the whole tariff strategy.
Short-lived relief?
The relief could be short-lived, with some of the exempted consumer electronics targeted for upcoming sector-specific tariffs on goods deemed key to US national defence networks.
Trump has said he will give “very specific” details on Monday, UST, and his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, said semiconductor tariffs would likely be in place “in a month or two”.
Lutnick said pharmaceutical products would “also be outside the reciprocal tariffs”, using an administration term for tariffs aimed at bringing all US trade imbalances to zero.
The White House says Trump remains optimistic about securing a deal with China, although US officials have made it clear they expect Beijing to reach out first.
Trump’s trade representative Jamieson Greer told CBS Face the Nation that “we don’t have any plans” for talks between the US President and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
China looks elsewhere
China has sought to present itself as a stable alternative to an erratic Washington, courting countries spooked by the global economic storm.
Xi on Monday kicks off a five-day Southeast Asia tour for talks with the leaders of Vietnam, a manufacturing powerhouse, as well as Malaysia and Cambodia.
The fallout from Trump’s tariffs – and subsequent whiplash policy reversals – has sent particular shockwaves through the US economy, with investors dumping government bonds, the dollar tumbling and consumer confidence plunging.
Adding to the pressure on Trump, Wall Street billionaires – including a number of his own supporters – have openly criticised the tariff strategy as damaging and counterproductive.
The White House insists the aggressive policy is bearing fruit, saying dozens of countries have already opened trade negotiations to secure a deal before the 90-day pause ends.
“We’re working around the clock, day and night, sharing paper, receiving offers and giving feedback to these countries,” Greer told CBS News.
– Agence France-Presse
