The White House eased tariffs imposed on China after several staffers were forced to warn President Donald Trump that his penalties would cause his supporters – or “Trump’s people,” – to suffer economically, according to a report.
While Trump was reluctant to lower tariffs against Beijing too quickly, several White House staffers – including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other aides – warned him the penalties were placing his own supporters in danger, sources told the Washington Post.
That warning prompted marathon negotiations with China this past weekend in Geneva, Switzerland, with the two at-odds countries announcing they would suspend their respective tariffs for 90 days as negotiations continued.
“The key argument was that this was beginning to hurt Trump’s supporters – Trump’s people,” one person briefed on the talks said. “It gave Susie a key window.”
Trump officials have announced new or revised tariff policies more than 50 times, according to a tally by the Post.
He has also issued more than a dozen tariff-related executive orders since taking office, averaging out to about one per week against numerous countries, including neighbors Canada and Mexico.
Several of the policies have changed at least a half-dozen times each, and Trump has reversed himself on numerous types of tariffs, including those on auto, steel and aluminum and agriculture and energy.
Under the new agreement, the U.S. agreed to slash the tariff on Chinese imports to 30 percent from its current 145 percent. China also agreed that it would lower its levies on American goods to 10 percent from 125 percent.
The meetings in Switzerland also marked the first in-person talks between senior U.S. and Chinese officials since Trump’s return to office – and his promise of sweeping tariffs on the country.
In a statement to the Post, White House spokesman Kush Desai said: “The only special interest guiding President Trump’s decision-making is the best interest of the American people.”
“The administration’s Geneva agreement with China stabilizes our trade relationship while setting the stage for a comprehensive trade deal that will put Americans and America First.”
