NEW: Trump Admits to Maria Bartiromo that 157% Tariffs on China Are ‘Not Sustainable’
President Donald Trump admitted that a 157% tariff on all Chinese goods was “not sustainable” before curiously adding, “but that’s where the number is.”
Trump sat down with Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo for her Sunday Fox News show and was pressed on his recent announcement that an additional 100% tariff against China, in addition to a previous charge.
“If you put a one hundred percent tariff on top of what is in place, a 157% tariff on China, can that stand? What is that doing to the economy?” she pressed the president.
“Not sustainable,” Trump replied before flatly insisting, without explanation, “but that is what the number is.”
“It is probably, could stand — but they forced me to do that,” he continued, before praising Chinese leader Xi Jinping. “I think we’re going to do fine with China. I get along great with him. He is a very strong leader. Very- you know, amazing man if you look what he has done, what he is, you know, where his life is — amazing story, a story for a great movie.
“I think we’re going to be fine with China but we have to have a fair deal got to be fair, you covered it as well as anybody that ever covered the subject here very complex subject. China ripped us off from day one.
“Richard Nixon allowed this to happen opened China,” he elliptically rambled. “I said, ‘Is that good or bad? You tell me,’ unleashed it, a very strong adversary. They only respect strength really do only respect.”
Bartiromo later viewed Trump’s seemingly improvised aside as “good news for markets who are worried about this relationship deteriorating,” suggesting that Trump’s admission that his controversial and draconian tariff policy is “not sustainable,” seemingly overlooking the controversial and draconian tariff policy he has put in place that has, per Bartiromo’s own reporting, markets “worried.”
Watch above via Fox Business.
