Trump Says Anybody Against His Tariffs ‘Controlled by China’

President Donald Trump has said that anyone opposed to his tariff plans, including The Wall Street Journal, is “controlled by China.”

Trump’s comments on Truth Social came after The Wall Street Journal editorial board called his import tax plans on Canada, Mexico, and China “the dumbest trade war in history.”

Newsweek has contacted the White House and The Wall Street Journal for comment via email outside of regular working hours.

Why It Matters

Trump has faced significant backlash for his tariff plans, which could strain diplomatic relations with northern allies Canada and potentially spark a global trade war.

What To Know

Trump announced he would impose a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff on imports from China. Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10 percent tariff.

The president had threatened the tariffs unless Canada and Mexico took steps to curb illegal immigration and all three nations reduced the flow of drugs such as fentanyl into the U.S.

Canada quickly responded, with outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying his government would introduce retaliatory 25 percent tariffs on more than $100 billion in U.S. goods.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also promised on X, formerly Twitter, “tariff and nontariff measures” in response to Trump’s plan. China’s Ministry of Commerce said it would file a legal case against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization in response to Trump’s 10 percent tariffs on Chinese goods.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said anyone who “loves and believes” in the United States supports his tariff plans, adding that the response has been “fantastic.”

Several Republican figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have praised Trump for imposing the tariffs as part of his broader plan to curb illegal immigration and drugs entering the U.S.

In a Saturday opinion piece, The Wall Street Journal editorial board condemned Trump’s trade plans, arguing that his 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico could severely damage the U.S. economy for “no good reason.”

In a previous Truth Social post, Trump said that there would be some “pain” as a result of his tariff plans—including possible inflation and higher costs for goods in the United States—but added that the results would be “spectacular.”

What People Are Saying

Donald Trump wrote in a Sunday Truth Social post: “Anybody that’s against tariffs, including the Fake News Wall Street Journal and hedge funds, is only against them because these people or entities are controlled by China or other foreign or domestic companies. Anybody that loves and believes in the United States of America is in favor of tariffs. They should have never ended in favor of the income tax system in 1913. The response to tariffs has been FANTASTIC!”

The Wall Street Journal editorial board in a Friday opinion piece: “None of this is supposed to happen under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that Mr. Trump negotiated and signed in his first term. The U.S. willingness to ignore its treaty obligations, even with friends, won’t make other countries eager to do deals. Maybe Mr. Trump will claim victory and pull back if he wins some token concessions. But if a North American trade war persists, it will qualify as one of the dumbest in history.”

Larry Summers, treasury secretary under former President Bill Clinton, told CNN on Sunday: “This is a self-inflicted wound to the American economy. I’d expect inflation over the next three or four months to be higher as a consequence, because the price level has to go up when you put a levy on goods that people are buying.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in a Saturday post on X: “President Trump is positioning America to be safe and successful again. Today, he is holding Mexico, Canada, and China accountable for their role in the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs across our borders. These countries are now on notice to work quickly to stop the madness. This is long overdue.”

Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville posted on X: “President Trump isn’t messing around when it comes to securing the border, stopping the flow of fentanyl, and saving American lives. Mexico, Canada, and China can come to the negotiating table or they can pay a heavy price.”