Trump Drops 155% Tariff Bombshell On China – Is This The Start Of Trade War 2.0? | World News

Washington DC: The Oval Office turned into a stage full of warnings and numbers Monday night. US President Donald Trump voiced the “potential” 155 percent tariff threat against China. He said the move would come into force on November 1 unless there is a trade deal between Washington and Beijing.

Trump spoke at a high-level meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House. The cameras captured his voice, sharp, precise and full of money talk.

“I think China is very respectful towards us. They pay us a huge amount of money as customs duties. As you know, they pay 55 percent, this is a huge amount of money,” he said.

#WRISTWATCH | US President Donald Trump said, “I think China is very respectful towards us. They pay us a tremendous amount of money in the form of customs duties. As you know, they pay 55 percent, this is a huge amount of money… Many countries have benefited from the USA, but they do not give it… pic.twitter.com/gB75dD0mJJ— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025

The US president said that countries once benefited from America, but that era is now over. “Many countries have benefited from the United States and they no longer benefit from it. China will pay 55 percent and a potential 155 percent will come on November 1 if we don’t make a deal,” Trump said.

He then talked about his next move, a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. “I am meeting with President Xi. We have a very good relationship; we will meet in South Korea in a few weeks… I think we will work on something that will be good for both countries,” he said.

He said he expects “a fair and really great trade deal” once the meetings are completed. “When we finish our meetings in South Korea, I think China and I will come to a really fair and really great trade deal together. I want them to buy soybeans… It will be great for both countries and it will be great for the whole world,” he said.

The same day also saw Trump and Albanese sign a multibillion-dollar agreement on critical minerals and defense cooperation.

“$8.5 billion is on the way,” Albanese said.

The deal comes after months of talks between the two allies and is expected to increase supply chain security, energy independence and military cooperation.

Hours before the meeting, Trump wrote about a new tariff plan on Truth Social. He said an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods would come into effect from Nov. 1 “over and above the customs duty they currently pay.”

In his post, he said China had taken “an extraordinarily aggressive position on trade” and sent “an extremely hostile letter to the world.”

Trump wrote: “Based on the fact that China has taken this unprecedented stance and speaks only for the United States and not for other similarly threatened countries, beginning November 1, 2025 (or sooner depending on steps or changes taken by China), the United States will impose 100% Tariffs on China beyond any Tariffs they currently pay. Additionally, on November 1, we will impose Export Controls on all critical software.”

He added: “It has become known that China has taken an extraordinarily aggressive position on trade by sending an extremely hostile letter to the world stating that effective November 1, 2025, they will impose large-scale Export Controls on almost every product they produce and even some that they do not produce themselves. This affects ALL countries without exception and was frankly a plan devised by them years ago. It is absolutely unheard of in International Trade and a moral one.” disgrace dealing with other nations.”

Before ending the meeting, Trump announced a new plan. “I’ve been invited to go to China. And I’ll be doing that pretty early next year,” he said.