Donald Trump says he has had second thoughts on escalating the trade war with China, a rare expression of regret from a president prone to doubling down on his tactics.
Trump, during a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday at the Group of Seven summit, was asked whether he had “any second thoughts on escalating the trade war" with China, after he announced higher tariffs late Friday.
“Yeah, sure, why not?" Trump replied. Reporters asked again whether he had second thoughts. “Might as well, might as well," he replied, before reporters asked again. “I have second thoughts about everything," he said.
The breezy acknowledgement from the president is the latest in the trade fight between the two largest economies, who continue to ratchet up pressure as warning signs flash on the risk of a global recession.
Trump has seen his poll numbers sag ahead of his 2020 re-election bid, as consumers sour on his aggressive trade stance against China. Trump has bet his re-election chances on a strong economy, and with fears of recession growing among some economists, has insisted fears of an economic slowdown are overblown.
Trump was also asked whether allied nations at the summit were pressing him to give up on the trade war. “No, not at all, I haven’t heard that at all,” he replied.
But later, Johnson nudged him to do just that. “Just to register the faint, sheep-like note of our view on the trade war, we’re in favor of trade peace on the whole, and dialing it down a beat,” Johnson said. (Bloombertg)