Trump has strong message

Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized China for retaliating against newly imposed U.S. tariffs, despite his warning not to do so. On April 2, Trump introduced sweeping new tariffs, calling it “Liberation Day” for American industry. These included a 25% tariff on all foreign-made cars, a 10% base tariff on imports from most countries, and higher rates for specific nations—54% on Chinese goods, 20% on EU goods, and 10% on UK products. Countries under the USMCA deal, such as Canada and Mexico, were exempt. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned other nations not to retaliate, but China responded by implementing a 34% tariff on U.S. goods effective April 10.

In response, China also filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization, accusing the U.S. of violating WTO rules and damaging global trade norms. Trump fired back on Truth Social, claiming the U.S. is benefiting from the tariffs and downplaying inflation concerns. He accused China of exploiting the U.S. for decades and blamed past American leaders for enabling it. Meanwhile, Chinese officials condemned the tariffs as economic bullying, warning that the U.S.’ unilateral actions could harm global supply chains and delay global economic recovery.