President of the United States, Donald Trump, has declared that “no country is off the hook” when it comes to tariffs, sending shockwaves through global markets and diplomatic circles alike.
This latest barrage in Trump’s trade war was announced on Sunday following a brief reprieve for certain electronic goods, including smartphones and laptops, which were temporarily exempted from the crushing 145% tariffs on Chinese imports.
Trump insists these exemptions are fleeting, and the tariff hammer will soon fall on semiconductors and other critical components deemed vital to US national security.
President Trump posted on his Truth Social, part of which reads, “NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook’ … especially not China, which, by far, treats us the worst!” Historically, tariffs have been a tool of economic leverage, but Trump’s approach has been anything but conventional.
China has retaliated with 125% levies on US imports, creating a tit-for-tat scenario that has left both nations grappling with economic uncertainty. Beijing welcomed Washington’s exemptions, describing them as a “small step” in the right direction while urging the Trump Administration to “completely cancel” the tariffs.
Wall Street billionaires, including some of Trump’s own supporters, have openly criticized the tariff strategy as damaging and counterproductive. Yet, the White House remains steadfast, claiming that dozens of countries are now scrambling to negotiate trade deals before the 90-day tariff pause ends.
In a Truth Social post, President Trump said, “We will not be held hostage by other countries, especially hostile trading nations like China.”
