Ruthless Trump is not afraid of China trade war & tariffs is 1st step…he’ll stop at nothing to get deal, says ex-adviser
A trade war with Beijing dominated Trump's relationship with China during his first term.
DONALD Trump is not shaped by any policy when it comes to China – and will stop at nothing to strike a historic trade deal, his former national security adviser has said.
The president’s perception of the Asian powerhouse has fluctuated throughout his time in the White House – from praising China and Xi to blaming the nation for the origins of the pandemic.
Trump’s first term in office was characterized by a tit-for-tat trade war as he lashed out at countries that he felt were taking advantage of America.
But, while the two nations were at odds economically, Trump lavished praise on the Chinese president – saying he likes him very much, and has previously described him as a gentleman and a “brilliant guy”.
Just like his first term, Trump has returned to tariff warfare.
Renowned diplomat John Bolton, who served in Trump’s first administration, revealed the president operates as if he’s in a boardroom.
He told The Sun: “It’s entirely transactional, as is almost everything with Trump.”
Trump talked tough on China during the 2024 presidential campaign and is sticking to his word.
But Bolton believes the president’s mindset could change if the US is on the cusp of achieving a trade deal.
Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, explained how Trump’s perception toward Beijing is influenced by the Covid pandemic.
“He’s been very critical of China because of the Covid virus,” he said.
“But the hard line can be replaced almost instantaneously if he thinks there was some prospect of negotiating a big deal with China.
“He doesn’t have a philosophy. He doesn’t have a national security grand strategy. He doesn’t do policy.
“It’s all, ‘Let’s make a deal. Let’s make a deal with Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, with Putin over Ukraine.’
“It’s not reflective of a philosophy or a Trump doctrine, or Trumpism or anything else. It’s just, ‘I’m the best deal-maker around’.”
Bolton believes Trump hasn’t changed his strategy – despite having the experience of already serving in the White House.
“He doesn’t care about facts and international affairs,” he added.
“He has said publicly and privately that he basically thinks that the personal relations he has with a foreign country determine whether or not the US has good relations.
“Personal relations are not the be all and the end all.”
Why has Trump hit China with tariffs?
DONALD Trump signed an executive order promising to hit Chinese imports to the US with a tariff of 10%. But, why did he propose the levies?
Trump believes China has not done enough to stop the production of chemicals used to make the drug fentanyl.
China has slammed Trump for the claim and described fentanyl as America’s problem.
The country also said the tariffs are a “serious violation” of the World Trade Organization rules.
China is therefore filing a lawsuit with the WTO against the US for “wrongful practice”.
China serves as a major supplier of auto parts to the US.
Phones and computers along with other key electronic devices were also in the top imports from China last year, according to Commerce Department Data.
In 2023, the US imported around $427 billion worth of products from China in total, according to the US Census Bureau.
Data reveals that 78% of all smartphones imported from the US came from China.
Trump’s tariff threat has sparked fears of price rises for fashion items and toys.
Beijing has responded by outlining its own tariffs on American goods, sparking fears of an all-out trade war between the two powerhouses.
During his first term, Trump had a tendency of praising the world’s strongmen and not all were allies of the West.
Trump rubbed shoulders with Kim Jong-un and his book Letters to Trump documented their relationship.
The pair wrote letters to each other. In January 2019, Trump sent a note that wished the despot a “happy birthday” and said North Korea would soon be on a “historic and prosperous path”.
Trump has also spoken warmly about Hungarian leader, Viktor Orban, and often exchanged awkward-looking handshakes with global leaders.
In 2022, Trump raised eyebrows when he described Vladimir Putin as savvy.
He made the remarks on the conservative podcast Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show after Putin ordered Russian soldiers to carry out so-called peacekeeping missions in the territories of Luhansk and Donetsk.
The comments were made before Putin launched his illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Tariff warfare
Just two weeks after returning to the White House, Trump ordered a sweeping 10 per cent levy on all imports.
Trump believes China has not done enough to stop the production of chemicals used to make the drug fentanyl.
China has vehemently denied Trump’s claims and government elites say the scourge of the drug – which is 50 times stronger than heroin – is America’s problem.
Trump’s blanket tariffs on Chinese imports were met with a flurry of retaliatory measures.
China has whacked 15 per cent tariffs on coal and liquefied natural gas imports.
And levies of 10 per cent will be slapped on crude oil, farming equipment, and some cars that come from the US.
Beijing’s retaliation will come into force on February 10.
He doesn’t care about facts and international affairs
John Bolton
The world waits with bated breath how Trump’s trade war will play out.
But tariffs targeting Mexican and Canadian goods have at least been put on pause for now.
Trump threatened to slap 25 per cent tariffs on imports coming from Mexico and Canada.
The decision to pause came after Trump held phone calls with his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbaum, and outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
But, the prospect of tariffs sparked fears that the price of avocados and crates of Modelo beer would rise.
This was despite Trump’s campaign promises that prices would come down.
His predecessor, Joe Biden’s presidency was marred by high inflation – which reached 40-year highs in the summer of 2022.
Shoppers fear they could see further squeezes if prices rise in Walmart and Target as a result of Trump’s trade war against China.
Americans risk being impacted by tariffs just seven years after Trump’s last trade war with China.
Trump slapped tariffs on $34billion worth of Chinese goods in July 2018.
Beijing and Washington were locked in a retaliatory dispute before the two nations signed a phase one trade agreement in January 2020.
That was just months before Covid-19 wreaked havoc on the US and the world.
What is the trade war?
DONALD Trump almost started a trade war after he threatened to slap steep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
The newly-inaugurated president believes the taxes were “worth the price” to stopping the manufacture and import of the deadly drug fentanyl and ending the “RIPOFF OF AMERICA”.
But prices of fruit like avocados and tomatoes and manufactured products like cars or computers are set to be more expensive for Americans.
A trade showdown could cost families $1,000 and slow down general growth if prices spike.
Trump slammed those opposing the tariffs saying the US was no longer going to be the “stupid country” that was subsidizing others.
He said his tariffs could bring some pain to the economy, but that is the “PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID” to end trade deficits with Canada, Mexico and China.
Trump said he would slap a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico and add another 10 per cent tariff on to Chinese trade.
Energy, like oil and natural gas, imported from Canada was also only hit with a 10 per cent tariff.
But soon Mexico and Canada announced condemnatory retaliatory tariffs on the US.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the mysterious “Plan B” to go into effect which “includes tariff and non-tariff measures” in a lengthy X post.
Trump spoke with Sheinbaum and Canadian counterpart Trudeau and the tariffs appear to have been halted for 30 days.
But the threat of tariffs has not disappeared.
