President Donald Trump offered a blunt rationale for his “not sustainable” tariff policy: without it, the United States “would be exposed as being a nothing.”
This framing casts the trade war as a battle for global respect rather than just an economic dispute. “We have a 100% tariff,” he said. “If we didn’t have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing.”
This defense came in the same interview where he admitted the policy is “not sustainable” and that China “forced” him into it.
This tough talk is the backdrop for a newly confirmed meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks. Trump said he “get[s] along great” with Xi and thinks “we’re going to be fine.”
The meeting, expected at the APEC summit, is crucial. A 90-day truce expires on November 10, and Trump is demanding a “fair deal” to end the conflict.