President Donald Trump delivered a deeply confusing message on his China trade policy, calling the high tariffs “not sustainable” one moment, only to immediately waffle, “you know, it could stand.”
This contradictory statement came in an interview where he confirmed a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks. “It’s not sustainable,” Trump said, before adding, “But that’s what the number is… it could stand.”
He continued to blame China for the situation, claiming “they forced me to do that.” This ambiguity—that the policy is both unsustainable and could continue—appears to be a negotiating tactic ahead of the summit.
The talks are urgent. A 90-day truce that has paused duties as high as 145% is set to expire on November 10.
Trump’s goal remains a “fair deal.” He justified the trade war, despite its flaws, as essential leverage. “If we didn’t have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing,” he stated.