The White House announced on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports from China will rise to 104% overnight, following Beijing’s refusal to withdraw its retaliatory tariffs on American exports.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the development during a press briefing with reporters.
“It was a mistake for China to retaliate. When America is punched, [the president] punches back harder,” Leavitt stated. “That is why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.”
Previously, Chinese goods were already subject to 54% tariffs under Trump’s wave of new trade measures set to take effect on Wednesday. Last week, the president had imposed a baseline 10% tariff on all imports, while targeting China with an additional 20% tariff and a further 34% levy in response to the large trade deficit between the two countries.
On Monday, Trump escalated the trade conflict by placing an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods after Beijing imposed its own 34% retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports.
The developments mark a significant intensification in the ongoing trade war between the world’s two largest economies, with analysts warning of broader implications for global trade and markets.