The clock is ticking on the 90-day trade truce between the US and China, with President Donald Trump now admitting that the high tariffs at the center of the dispute are “not sustainable.”
This admission comes just two weeks before a scheduled meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the fate of the truce will be decided. The truce is set to expire on November 10.
In an interview, Trump stressed that the tariffs were a last resort. “It’s not sustainable,” he said of the duties. “But… they forced me to do that.” This rhetoric sets the stage for negotiations where Trump may be looking for a deal that allows him to roll back the measures.
The president’s tone has fluctuated wildly. He recently threatened to cancel the Xi meeting, which is expected at the APEC summit in South Korea, and impose 100% tariffs. Now, he says, “I think we’re going to be fine with China,” while still demanding a “fair deal.”
He continues to justify the trade war as a necessary fight. He argued that without the tariffs, the US would be “exposed as being a nothing,” framing the economic conflict as a battle for global standing.