‘Not Sustainable’: Trump’s Blunt Assessment of China Tariff War

President Donald Trump offered a blunt assessment of his trade war with China, calling the high tariffs his administration has imposed “not sustainable.”
This frank admission was made in an interview just two weeks before a crucial, confirmed meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump immediately added that China “forced” him into this position.
The president’s outlook on the talks is mixed. He expressed optimism, saying, “I think we’re going to be fine,” but also wariness, stating, “I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens.”
A 90-day truce that has paused the trade war—which saw duties threaten 145%—is set to expire on November 10. This deadline places immense pressure on the upcoming APEC summit talks.
Trump continues to demand a “fair deal.” He justifies the “unsustainable” policy as necessary, arguing that without tariffs, the US “would be exposed as being a nothing.”