President Donald Trump had 2020 on his mind Friday morning as he justified his latest tariffs on Chinese goods.
div > div.group > p:first-child">The Trump administration raised duties Friday on $200 billion in Chinese products to 25% from 10%. While Washington and Beijing will talk throughout the day about striking a deal to end a widening trade war, Trump signaled the conflict could linger, saying "there is absolutely no need to rush."
Trump's latest shot at Beijing, which comes after the U.S. side said China backed out of key parts of a developing deal, caused U.S. stock markets to dip Friday despite hopes that the world's two largest economies could salvage an agreement. The tariff action also has political implications for Trump ahead of his 2020 reelection bid. He risks angering farmers, a key voting bloc damaged by low crop prices caused in part by the trade war.
As he sent out a string of tweets defending his tariff move Friday, Trump had his political fortunes in mind. He argued tariffs "will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker." He wrote that "This is not the Obama Administration or the Administration of Sleepy Joe [Biden], who let China get away with 'murder!'"
Trump tweet: Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch! In the meantime, China should not renegotiate deals with the U.S. at the last minute. This is not the Obama Administration, or the Administration of Sleepy Joe, who let China get away with "murder!"
Trump has repeatedly targeted Biden since the former vice president entered the 2020 Democratic presidential primary last month and became the apparent frontrunner to challenge the president. The president won the White House in part by promising to crack down on Chinese trade abuses, and wants to show progress in changing Beijing's practices during the election.
After Trump attacked Biden earlier this week, the former vice president's campaign highlighted the costs of the trade conflict with China. Biden's communications director Kate Bedingfield tweeted Wednesday that "the only people [Trump] has gotten tough w/ so far on trade are US farmers, small business owners & consumers, who feel the brunt of this tariff war."