Donald Trump's game of chicken with China

President Donald Trump posted a statement on TruthSocial today (Monday) threatening to increase the United States' tariffs on the country in retaliation for the tariffs China imposed in retaliation for the tariffs Trump imposed on April 2.

According to Trump: "Yesterday, China issued Retaliatory Tariffs of 34%, on top of their already record setting Tariffs, Non-Monetary Tariffs, Illegal Subsidization of companies, and massive long term Currency Manipulation, despite my warning that any country that Retaliates against the U.S. by issuing additional Tariffs, above and beyond their already existing long term Tariff abuse of our Nation, will be immediately met with new and substantially higher Tariffs, over and above those initially set."

The consequences, the President said, would be dire: "Therefore, if China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th. Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated!"

Trump also noted that negotiations with other countries over tariffs were already beginning: "Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

While multiple countries have offered to negotiate a complete zeroing out of tariffs in exchange for the removal of American tariffs, Trump and members of his administration have said that only ending the "trade deficit" whereby countries export to the US more than they import, will change things, as Trump and his appointees consider any such deficit cheating the United States.