As Trump alienates allies with US tariffs, China is poised to exploit the gaps
As Trump alienates allies with US tariffs, China is poised to exploit the gaps
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump tries to turn his global trade war into a one-on-one showdown with China, he is finding that he has alienated some key U.S. partners who could boost America’s position in a fight between the world’s largest and second-largest economies.
For more than a decade, American leaders, including Trump, have tried to reorient U.S. economic policy, security strategy and alliances to confront China’s rise. Yet nearly three months into his second term, Trump’s “America First” tariffs and budget cutbacks may have provided Beijing its clearest opening yet to escape years of U.S. pressure.
This week, Trump doubled down on China, raising duties on its imports to a staggering 145%, even as he eased off his planned tariffs on much of the world’s goods for 90 days in the face of a stock market meltdown. But the whipsaw of economic threats on American allies and partners has already taken a toll, beyond just upending global trade.
