President Donald Trump said this week that China has reached out to negotiate following his steep tariff hike, and he expressed strong confidence that a new trade deal with Beijing is within reach — on American terms.
Speaking from the Oval Office on April 17, Trump confirmed that Chinese officials had made contact with his administration “a lot” after he raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145 percent. In return, China escalated duties on American goods to as high as 125 percent.
Despite the tensions, Trump said the negotiations are moving in a favorable direction for the U.S.
“I believe we’re going to have a deal with China,” Trump said, adding, “and if we don’t, we’re going to have a deal anyway, because we will set a certain target, and that’s going to be it.”
Trump appeared unfazed by China’s retaliatory measures, noting that high tariffs are already generating billions in revenue for the U.S. and pressuring foreign competitors. “We’re in no rush,” he said. “We’re going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anybody else, because we have something that everybody wants.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed the president’s confidence, saying the administration is working toward a deal that benefits both nations.
At the White House, Trump also discussed the Chinese-owned app TikTok, signaling that any final decision on its future in the U.S. may be delayed until the trade negotiations are complete.
Although Congress passed a law requiring TikTok to divest from Beijing-based ByteDance or face a ban, Trump extended the deadline and tied the matter to ongoing talks.
“We have a deal for TikTok, but it‘ll be subject to China,” Trump said. “So we’ll just delay the deal till this [tariff negotiation] works out.” He added that TikTok’s role in American business makes it a valuable bargaining chip.
The president emphasized that China has every right to walk away, but warned that the U.S. market remains unmatched. “Think of us as a big, beautiful department store,” he said. “Everybody wants a piece of that store. China wants it. Japan wants it. Mexico, Canada, they live off it.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who met with Trump the same day, supported his stance and said she was confident the U.S. and Europe could also resolve trade disputes.
Trump described the relationship with Meloni and Italy as “very good,” saying, “We have a very good relationship together and as countries.”
With negotiations underway and China back at the table, Trump hinted that a deal could come within weeks. “If we don’t make a deal, we‘ll just set a target and live with that, and it’ll be fine,” he said.
For now, the message from the White House is clear: America holds the cards — and everyone wants in.