Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on Friday got President Donald Trump to admit that his newly announced tariffs on China are unsustainable brinkmanship.
After China flexed its grip on the rare earth minerals supply through new export controls, Trump last week threatened an additional 100 percent tariff on China, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” beginning on November 1.
Asking Trump about this latest escalation, Bartiromo pressed, “If you put that 100 percent tariff on top of what is in place already—if you put a 157 percent tariff on China—can that stand? What is that going to do to the economy?”
Trump was forced to admit the obvious—no—but opted not to spell out the economic consequences.
“It’s not sustainable,” the president said, “but that’s what the number is.”
BARTIROMO: If you put that 100% tariff on top of what’s in place already, you’d have a 157% tariff on China. What is that gonna do to the economy?TRUMP: It’s not sustainable, but that’s what the number is. It’s probably not. You know, it could stand. But they forced me to do… pic.twitter.com/7B9lznyW4o
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2025
According to Bloomberg Economics, Trump’s 100 percent tariff would bring rates on Chinese products to a level that not just “raises costs” but “shuts down trade.” While even the current rate is “challenging, China’s manufacturing edge has kept exports flowing.” But tariffs above 100 percent “would sever most flows.”
Continuing his answer, Trump passed the blame to China, before rambling praisefully about Chinese President Xi Jinping: “It’s probably not—and you know, it could stand—but they forced me to do that,” the president went on. “I think we’re going to do fine with China. I get along great with him. He is a very strong leader. Very—you know, amazing man if you look at what he has done, and what he is, you know, where he’s—his life is an amazing story, it’s a story for a great movie.”
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