Trump China Tariff now 145%

Stocks down again. "US markets slide again as tariff optimism fades"

"Reports on that so far have been contradictory - but we now have clarification from the White House on what they meant.
The 125% announced by Donald Trump refers solely to what the White House calls reciprocal tariffs.

That's in addition to a 20% tariff that had been previously announced in a bid, US officials say, to pressure China to clamp down on fentanyl trafficking

In other words, the total tariffs on China now stand at 145% - an enormously high figure that has the potential to have a very real impact, both on consumers in the US and on China's economy

It makes me think of a non-litterate/non-numerate toddler, just spouting a series of familiar-sounding numbers that sound impressive to them, but with zero understanding of what those sounds actually mean.
Truly scary from someone in Trump's position of power

I don't know but I'm afraid Trump has bitten off more than he can chew, he will not face down China. What this shows is Trump's complete inability to deal with people who think differently to him. The fall in stocks today demonstrate that he has damaged himself and the trust in the US by his irrational behaviour and that will not be rebuilt easily. A continued trade war between the US and China will damage us all and is completely unnecessary. His (now paused) tariffs on countries like Vietnam etc are totally counter productive and will drive these poorer countries into the arms of China. What an idiotic man he is!

I don't know but I'm afraid Trump has bitten off more than he can chew, he will not face down China

What do you mean by this?

I would have thought the average American consumer will buy a lot less goods of Chinese origin.

And American exporters will be far less likely to export to China.

Is that all what Trump ultimately wants?

These are the is a major problems, fancythat.

China produces a vast majority of the world's computer parts US computer production literally cannot do without them

In 2023, China produced approximately 338.6 million computers, including 200 million laptops, which accounts for about 17.5% of global output.

China also leads in semiconductor production and consumption.

I don't think Trump has a hope in hell of outwitting or beating the Chinese.. Let's hope he listens to his advisors.. unlikely though

And yet, on Ch4 News it said, if anything, his popularity has gone up in America .

Not according to the poll that I heard MayBee70 His popularity had dropped by quite a lot.
www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-polls-2058045
fancy that What wyllow has said + Chinese culture ie losing face signifies a loss of prestige, honor, and respect, often leading to embarrassment or humiliation. It's a deeply ingrained cultural value that emphasizes social harmony and avoiding public shame.

The majority of the products sold in the US are made in China. We do not have the capability of production here, because of decisions made over the last 30 years. It takes a minimum of 5 years to bring a manufacturing plant online in the US.

This video actually is from a small business owner in the US who is about to be out of business. She explains how these things work and why it will never be a quick fix to tariff China and expect the world to fall into line and the people in the US to not be adversely affected.

Simply put, because it will take to much time.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWxZpA_h2ak

The woman in the video has $165,000 of products, paid for, sitting in China. To get that now, it will cost her an additional $239,250 in tariffs.

She is abandoning her paid for products for now and likely laying her her 5 employees.

Here are the latest youGov polls.

"51% of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump's job performance and 43% approve, a net approval of -8. That's down 5 points from last week, when 46% of Americans approved of Trump and 49% disapproved for a net approval of -3

Trump's net job approval is down 14 points since the first Economist / YouGov Poll after he took office this year, when 49% of Americans approved of him and 43% disapproved
Trump began his second term as a more popular president than he ever was during his first term. But Trump's -8 net approval this week matches his net approval from the same stage of his first term"

today.yougov.com/politics/articles/51986-donald-trump-declining-popularity-tariffs-third-term-the-economy-april-5-8-2025-economist-yougov-poll

MayBee70

And yet, on Ch4 News it said, if anything, his popularity has gone up in America .

I read that a few days ago as well.

fancythat

^I don't know but I'm afraid Trump has bitten off more than he can chew, he will not face down China^

What do you mean by this?

I would have thought the average American consumer will buy a lot less goods of Chinese origin.

And American exporters will be far less likely to export to China.

Is that all what Trump ultimately wants?

But the posts after this one dont actually say this is not true. Do they?

This is from Economist/YouGov poll:

There has been a particularly sharp rise in discontent with how Trump is handling the economy and prices
51% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, while 41% approve. That -10 net approval on this issue is down from -4 two weeks ago; Trump's net approval on the economy among his 2024 voters has fallen from +75 to +66
55% disapprove of Trump's handling of prices and inflation — including 19% of Trump's 2024 voters — while 36% of Americans approve. His -19 net approval on inflation and prices is down from -8 two weeks ago

Net approval of Trump's handling of foreign trade is -18
In contrast, Americans' views of how Trump is handling immigration have barely changed, from 51% approval and 44% disapproval two weeks ago to 50% - 44% approval now; views of how Trump is handling crime have fallen slightly from 47% - 38% approval two weeks ago to 45% - 42% approval now

Most Americans have heard something about Trump's new tariffs — which include a minimum 10% tariff on all countries and higher rates for most countries; on Wednesday, a day after the survey ended, Trump announced a 90-day pause on some of the tariffs
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they've heard a lot about the tariffs (73% vs. 53%)
Americans disapprove of Trump's new tariffs by a margin of -16: 52% strongly or somewhat disapprove and 36% approve
Net approval of the tariffs is -79 among Democrats, -29 among Independents, and +57 Republicans
The tariffs are more popular among self-identified MAGA Republicans than among non-MAGA Republicans (+74 vs. +39 net approval)
Men are more likely than women to support the tariffs, and older Americans are more likely to than younger adults — but net approval is negative among men and women and within all four major age groups

I think it is difficult for most people, even in the US, to understand how many products sold in the US is made in China. There is no way we can just not buy Chinese made goods on such a large scale without being given time to actually move manufacturing to the US. Even if he fast tracks building regulations, which he will and put people at risk, we would not be able to replace most of our goods in less than 2 years.

Until then, we are at the whim of a dictator and forced to pay 145% for goods we cant make here currently.

Looking at the list of what imports and exports there are between US and China, the US consumer is likely to be hit very hard.
www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/04/09/china-us-tariffs-what-will-be-more-expensive/83005769007/#:~:text=That%20was%20before%20Trump%20imposed,of%20the%20U.S.%20Trade%20Representative.

Americans will feel the full force of the China tariffs once they are faced with the vastly increased cost of Chinese imports, which they can’t escape.

I’ve just picked this up from the latest CNN news bulletin:

‘ Impact on Americans: Trump’s tariffs will cost the typical middle-class household $3,443 a year, according to research published by The Budget Lab at Yale. That figure factors in the 90-day pause and the 145% tariffs on China. Lower-income Americans will get hit harder by the tariffs as a share of their total income, according to the analysis.’

Even if he were successful with moving manufacturing of items to the US, corporations are investing in AI to replace human workers. They aren't going to pay a US worker $35 an hour to turn screws into iPhones. They will invest in AI and pay no one.

Federal minimum wage in the US is $7.25 an hour. No one can live on $7.25 an hour. Most blue states have raised the minimum wage higher, but corporations build things in Red states because of less regulations, lower minimum wage and fewer union protections.

I guess I wonder how many Trump supporters would take a job at $7.25 an hour?

Trump is gambling that China will be "sorted" before the lower income Americans are hit hard by the tariffs for a sustained time before they "lose the faith". Many lower income people work more than one job.

Or - change direction in terms of expectations about what life is supposed to be - cars, computers, food prices, clothes, medicines...

Now Casdon, add that $3443 to the increase we will be paying in taxes as seen below while he gives the top 1% a tax cut.

We are already looking to add an increase of over $5000 a year, now lets on the increased costs for basic necessities like food. Cost is going up due to scarcity because of a lack of migrant workers to harvest.

Now lets add over 200,000 people onto unemployment because they were fired from their Federal jobs. That doesn't even include the people down stream that were fired due to lack of government contracts.

Also due to his cost cutting measures, both federal agencies and state agencies are cutting programs that help low income workers like child care assistance, food stamps and more.

This is going to get really bad for Americans.

I would not be surprised if he though people could live with less food to make it work. Remember the Tennessee (or was it Georgia?) Republican that said school children should get jobs if they cant afford school lunch.

15% of China's exports go to the USA, not an insignificant proportion, but China can sell some of this elsewhere and some to its vast domestic market. US sanctions may be uncomfortable - but bearable

For the USA, it is slightly more complicated. In 2023, smartphones, computers, lithium-ion batteries, toys, and video game consoles accounted for 27% of U.S. goods imports from China. Even more when you include goods manufactured in Vietnam for Chinese companies

Among the goods imported from China were lithium-ion batteries valued at $13.1 billion. This accounted for 70% of all U.S. lithium-ion battery imports that year and does not include batteries made in Vietnam for Chinese companies.

America's main export to China is soya bean, wheat and corn. All products they can buy elsewhere.

In this situation, all the best cards are in China's hands

Just saw the EU is going to allow China's electric vehicles as a response to Trump. I have not researched this yet.