US President Donald Trump on Sunday doubled down on his hardline trade stance, declaring that no country — especially China — would be spared from his sweeping tariff agenda.
Trump, in a post on social media rejected claims that his administration had granted tariff exemptions to certain tech products, saying, “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances… especially not China which, by far, treats us the worst!”
“There was no Tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday. These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’ The Fake News knows this, but refuses to report it,” Trump wrote, referencing media reports suggesting exemptions for electronics like smartphones and semiconductors.
The post came amid market jitters and criticism following the administration’s recent shifts on trade. Trump said the US would investigate semiconductors and “the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN” as part of upcoming national security tariff probes. He warned, “We will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China.”
Trump’s comments follow a turbulent week in which the White House appeared to soften some tariff positions, rattling markets and prompting a full-throated defence from top officials. On Sunday, White House advisers and Cabinet members fanned out across major television networks in an effort to project calm and continuity in policy, even as Trump’s messaging suggested otherwise.
Trump insisted that what some interpreted as exemptions were simply reclassifications. “Those days are over!” he said, referring to decades of perceived trade abuse by China. He pledged that the “Golden Age of America” would bring new tax and regulatory cuts, more jobs, and domestic manufacturing growth.
“Our Country will be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before,” Trump wrote. “We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
While Trump’s team last week defended a shift to a 10% universal tariff on most imports — and a steep 145% tariff on goods from China — their Sunday appearances aimed to reassure voters and businesses of long-term benefits, despite short-term volatility and rising costs.
