Trump’s Tariff Rationale: ‘Without Them, We’d Be Exposed as a Nothing’

President Donald Trump offered a stark defense of his trade war with China, arguing that the high tariffs are essential to America’s global standing. “If we didn’t have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing,” he stated.
This defense came during an interview where he also, paradoxically, admitted that the same tariff policy is “not sustainable” in the long run. “It’s not sustainable,” he said, “But… they forced me to do that.”
This complex messaging—that the tariffs are both essential and unsustainable—sets the stage for a critical meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump confirmed the summit is scheduled for two weeks from now.
The president’s outlook on the talks is mixed. He expressed optimism, “I think we’re going to be fine with China,” but also wariness, “China is always looking for an edge. We’ll see what happens.”
The meeting, expected at the APEC summit in South Korea, is under pressure. A 90-day truce that has paused the trade war—which saw duties threaten 145%—is set to expire on November 10. Trump’s ultimate goal remains a “fair deal.”