Trump Threatens Additional 50 Percent Tariff in Ultimatum to China

President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose an additional 50 percent tariff on China if Beijing does not withdraw its retaliatory measures on U.S. goods.

In an April 7 Truth Social post, the president said the Chinese communist regime will have until April 8 to reverse its decision. If China fails to comply, Trump will implement the new tariffs on April 9.

Last week, China announced 34 percent retaliatory tariffs and other trade measures in response to the administration’s April 2 reciprocal tariffs. Trump warned China not to retaliate against the United States because it “will be immediately met with new and substantially higher tariffs, over and above those initially set.”

He added that talks between the United States and China will be terminated if China doesn’t drop its new tariff.

“Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately,” Trump said.

The Trump administration’s 34 percent reciprocal tariffs, which cover currency manipulation, industrial subsidies, and other trade practices, are on top of the 20 percent levies on Chinese products entering the United States. This brings the total to 54 percent, impacting nearly $600 billion in trade.

Beijing responded to these actions in a flurry of actions, including tightening export controls on several different types of rare earth minerals and adding U.S. firms to its “Unreliable Entity List,” a mechanism created by the Chinese regime to target institutions and individuals considered a threat to China’s national security and economic development.

In a weekend statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is prepared to “open its doors wider” to global trading partners.

Financial markets have dropped in the aftermath of Trump’s comprehensive tariff strategy.

U.S. stocks continued their selloff in a highly volatile April 7 trading session. Asian indexes also crashed to kick off the trading week, with the Hang Seng Index plunging more than 3,000 points or 13.22 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index also plummeted 245 points or 7.34 percent.

Wall Street turned positive momentarily on reports that the president is considering a 90-day tariff pause. The White House quickly dismissed those reports, telling CNBC that it was “fake news.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed in an April 6 CBS News interview that tariffs will not be delayed. “The tariffs are coming,” he said. “They are definitely going to stay in place for days and weeks.”

“There will likely be some rally attempts on hopes for tariff rollbacks and/or negotiations with trade partners,” John Belton, a portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, said in a note to The Epoch Times. “Unfortunately, we are of the view that the bigger picture is very clear: tariffs are here to stay and will be much higher than they’ve been in decades. The market has to learn how to deal with this new reality.”

Trump also said that countries are reaching out to the United States to begin negotiations, with Japan sending a “top team” to discuss trade policy.

“Tough but fair parameters are being set,” he said. “It all has to change, but especially with China!”

He also urged the public not to panic.

Writing on social media platform X, Trump stated that the United States “has a chance to do something” about trade that should have occurred decades ago.

“Don’t be weak! Don’t be stupid! Don’t be a Panican,” he said, noting that “Panican” is his term for a new political party that is comprised of “weak and stupid people.”

“Be strong, courageous, and patient, and greatness will be the result!” he added.