Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his hardline stance on China, defending his proposed 145% tariff and asserting that China "deserves it." In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Trump insisted that the economic burden would largely fall on Beijing, not American consumers.
“China probably will eat those tariffs,” Trump said, responding to concerns over the impact of steep tariffs on the U.S. economy. “They were ripping us off like nobody’s ever ripped us off … They’re not doing that anymore.”
When ABC’s Terry Moran pointed out that such tariffs could lead to price hikes on a wide range of goods—from electronics and clothing to construction materials—Trump pushed back. “You don’t know that,” he said. “You don’t know whether or not China’s going to eat it.”
“That’s mathematics,” Moran responded, highlighting the economic consensus that tariffs typically raise costs for consumers.
Addressing recent public anxiety following his social media post urging Americans to endure the effects of new tariffs, Trump promised “historic” outcomes and downplayed fears of inflation and market disruption. He claimed that since his time in office, prices for essentials like petrol, groceries, and eggs had gone down, framing this as proof that his policies can work without burdening consumers.
Trump’s comments come amid renewed debate over trade policy and its consequences, as the U.S.–China economic rivalry remains a central issue in the upcoming presidential election.
