White House Softens Tone: U.S.–China Duties Likely to Drop, Trump Admits

President Donald Trump signaled a softer stance on his sweeping trade war Tuesday, acknowledging that the record-high 145 percent tariff Americans now pay on most Chinese imports “will come down substantially” during upcoming negotiations — though, he insisted, “it won’t be zero.” Speaking in the Oval Office after swearing in SEC Chair Paul Atkins, Trump said Beijing “has to make a deal” if it wants continued access to U.S. markets, adding that both sides would be “very nice” in talks he predicts will “go pretty quickly.”

The president’s remarks mark a notable shift after three weeks of market turmoil sparked by his April 1 “Liberation Day” tariff blitz, which slapped baseline 10 percent duties on nearly every U.S. trading partner and a combined 145 percent rate on China. While stocks have clawed back some losses, recession fears linger and White House claims of rapid-fire bilateral pacts remain mostly aspirational: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt touted “18 proposals on paper” and meetings with “34 countries,” far shy of the 75–90 deals trade hawk Peter Navarro once predicted within the 90-day tariff pause.

Even partial relief on Chinese duties could ease supply-chain pressure on U.S. retailers and tech firms, but Trump’s vow that import taxes “won’t be zero” suggests a permanent, protectionist floor. For consumers, that means higher prices will persist on electronics, apparel and everyday goods unless negotiators forge deeper concessions. With no signed agreements yet and the tariff pause set to expire in early July, Wall Street and Main Street alike will watch whether “Trump speed” delivers concrete deals — or another round of market-shaking brinkmanship.