Trump tweets: Tariffs ‘have put the US in a very strong bargaining position’

U.S. President Donald
Trump delivers remarks during a Congressional Medal of Honor
Society reception at the East Room of the White House September
12, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Alex
Wong/Getty Images

• Trump: “Tariffs have put the U.S. in a very strong bargaining
  position.”
• Threatens other countries with tariffs if they don’t “make
  fair deals with us.”
• The US is expected to levy tariffs on another $200 billion of
  Chinese imports as soon as Monday.
• China has threatened to retaliate and pull out of
  negotiations if that happens.

US President Donald Trump escalated his trade war rhetoric on
Monday, threatening unspecified countries with tariffs is they
“will not make fair deals with us.”

The US is currently engaged in a trade war with China and is

expected to levy new tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese
imports on Monday, on top of the $50 billion of tariffs in
place.

Many US businesses have warned that the new rounds of tariffs

threaten to increase prices of everyday goods for Americans —
everything from baby seats to bikes.

Trump defended his policies in an early morning Tweet on Monday,
writing: “Tariffs have put the U.S. in a very strong bargaining
position, with Billions of Dollars, and Jobs, flowing into our
Country – and yet cost increases have thus far been almost
unnoticeable. If countries will not make fair deals with us, they
will be “Tariffed!””

He followed that tweet up with another one a few minutes later
that said: “Our Steel Industry is the talk of the World. It has
been given new life, and is thriving. Billions of Dollars is
being spent on new plants all around the country!”

The statements come as relations between the US and China appear
to strain. There had been hopes of a resolution on trade between
the two but news of the planned fresh US tariffs have sparked
anger in Beijing.

China is reportedly threatening to pull out of trade negotiations
if the US levies new tariffs and the Foreign Ministry said on
Monday it would respond in kind if the US levies fresh tariffs.

Chinese tabloid the Global Times, which is owned by the state,

said in an editorial on Monday: “We are looking forward to a
more beautiful counter-attack and will keep increasing the pain
felt by the U.S.”