President Trump is putting Beijing on notice: make a deal, or live with the consequences.
In a firm statement delivered by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday, Trump made clear that the next move in the escalating U.S.–China trade standoff belongs to the Chinese Communist Party.
“The ball is in China’s court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them,” Trump said through Leavitt, emphasizing that America holds the stronger hand. “There’s no difference between China and any other country, except they are much larger and China wants what we have — what every country wants, what we have: the American consumer.”
In other words, Trump says, “they need our money.”
This statement follows last week’s dramatic announcement of “Liberation Day,” in which Trump imposed sweeping 125% reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods. He framed the move as a long-overdue correction to decades of economic abuse that left American workers footing the bill for globalism and CCP expansion.
Trump explained on Truth Social that his administration would reward countries open to negotiation with a 90-day tariff pause and reduced rates, but singled out China as a bad actor: “Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately.”
The message was simple: cooperate, or face the financial pain.
Beijing didn’t wait long to retaliate. Just days after Trump’s new tariffs, the Chinese government announced a matching 125% tariff on U.S. imports. But according to Trump, that only underscores how dependent China is on U.S. markets—and how little leverage they actually hold.
Trump’s strategy hinges on his belief that America, with its unmatched consumer power, doesn’t need to beg for trade deals. Instead, it can dictate terms that put U.S. workers and industries first. “We’re done being the world’s piggy bank,” Trump declared during a campaign-style rally last week. “They need us far more than we need them.”
The administration has also carved out exceptions from the tariff blitz for certain key goods—like smartphones and computer components—in a savvy effort to shield American consumers from higher prices while still squeezing Beijing where it hurts.
What’s more, Trump’s trade team has opened the door to friendly negotiations with countries like India and Vietnam, aiming to shift key supply chains out of China and into less hostile territory.
But if Beijing thought Trump’s latest push was political theater, they’re learning quickly that he means business. With tariffs now in full force and China’s economy already strained by domestic slowdowns, pressure is mounting on Xi Jinping to return to the table. Trump’s tone makes it clear: no more free rides, no more one-sided deals, and no patience for stalling.
“The president has made it quite clear that he’s open to a deal with China,” Leavitt said on Tuesday. “But China needs to make a deal with the United States of America.”
And until they do, Trump is reminding the world that America’s days of economic surrender are over.
