President Donald Trump mentioned immediately the United States is not going to be enjoying “hard ball” with China, telling reporters within the Oval Office that tariffs on China received’t in the end be “anywhere near” the present 145%.
Asked if the US was going to play hardball with China with the intention to make a deal, or if officers would point out the Covid-19 pandemic, Trump rapidly responded: “No.”
“I’m not going to mention Covid. I’m not going to say: ‘Oh, I’m going to play hardball with China. I’m going to play hardball with you, President Xi,’” Trump mentioned.
“No, no, we’re going to be very nice. They’re going to be very nice, and we’ll see what happens,” the president added. “But ultimately, they have to make a deal, because otherwise they’re not going to be able to deal in the United States, and we want them involved.”
Speaking on the extra tariffs he slapped on China, Trump mentioned that 145% is “very high” and that “it won’t be that high.”
“It won’t be anywhere near that high. It’ll come down substantially, but it won’t be zero,” Trump mentioned. “Used to be zero.”
The president later reiterated he thinks the US will make a take care of China.
“I think we’re going to live together very happily and ideally work together, so I think it’s going to work out very well,” he mentioned.