Trump Aide Angers China, Shoots 'Tit-For-Tat' Warning As Tariff War Snowballs

Trump Aide Angers China, Shoots 'Tit-For-Tat' Warning As Tariff War Snowballs | 'Brute-force If...' Tensions between the U.S. and China are escalating as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seeks to manage the fallout after President Donald Trump refused to meet Xi Jinping, threatening a major trade clash over rare earth magnets. Bessent emphasised that the U.S.-China relationship remains in good shape, despite Trump’s threats to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese goods starting November 1. He also clarified that a Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea is still expected later this month. China had announced plans to restrict exports of rare earth magnets, prompting Trump to warn of “brute-force countermeasures” if Beijing doesn’t back down. Bessent added that the decision may have been made by lower-l