Less than three weeks after promoting a historic “China trade deal,” President Trump is back at scolding Beijing, accusing the country of breaking its commitments and hinting at renewed tariffs.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump claimed China “has totally violated its trade agreement with us,” adding that he had been “Mr. Nice Guy” by suspending tariffs.
“So much for being Mr. Nice Guy!” he wrote, suggesting that the Chinese economy was already on the ropes before he offered tariff relief.
Trump didn’t provide specifics on how China broke the agreement. But his remarks came shortly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted that trade talks between the two countries are “stalled.”
Bessent said a breakthrough will likely require direct involvement from both Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China pushes back and points to U.S. court ruling
A spokesperson for China’s embassy said Beijing had “raised concerns with the U.S. regarding its abuse of export control measures in the semiconductor sector and other related practices.”
The comments highlight growing frustration in China over what it sees as unfair treatment of its tech sector, which aligns with a recent U.S. court decision.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that President Trump overstepped his authority by imposing blanket tariffs, a decision that could potentially undermine one of Trump’s key trade strategies.
Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian praised the decision and urged the U.S. to lift the tariffs altogether. “Trade wars have no winners,” she said.
But the legal victory may be short-lived. The U.S. Court of Appeals granted a stay shortly after, at the Trump administration’s request. That means the lower court’s ruling is temporarily blocked — and Trump’s tariffs remain in place, at least for now.
White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the tariffs, saying they’re needed to “properly address a national emergency,” referring to the U.S. trade deficit.
Markets brace for more volatility
This back-and-forth in trade policy is rattling financial markets, with investors now eyeing Aug. 10 — the end of the 90-day tariff pause — as a critical deadline.
Goldman Sachs analysts warned that while the court decision might appear significant, it “may not change the final outcome for most U.S. trading partners.”
Trump’s team could simply reimpose tariffs under a different legal statute, they added.
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