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Key Points
- President Trump confirms a 145% total tariff rate on Chinese imports, surpassing prior reports of 125%.
- The updated rate includes a 125% reciprocal tariff plus additional 20% duties over fentanyl and migration concerns.
- The new executive order clarifies the breakdown, while 10% baseline duties remain in place for nearly all other countries.
- The move solidifies China as the primary target of Trump’s renewed trade policy agenda in his second term.
Trump Targets China with 145% Tariff: A Trade War Redux
President Donald Trump has made it official: his renewed trade war is now squarely aimed at China. In a significant escalation, the White House confirmed Thursday that the total base tariff on Chinese imports now stands at 145%, exceeding earlier figures floated in the media and marking a new high-water mark in U.S.-China trade tensions.
The clarification came with the public release of Trump’s executive order modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, which lays out trade duties country by country. The order makes it clear that while most global partners face a new 10% blanket duty, China faces a much steeper charge.
Breaking Down the Tariff Math
- 125% reciprocal tariff targeting unfair trade practices and intellectual property violations.
- +20% in combined duties over fentanyl trafficking (February) and illegal migration (March).
- = 145% effective total tariff on Chinese goods.
The discrepancy between earlier numbers and the final total came to light when CNBC noticed the 20% surtaxes hadn’t been factored into initial reports. A White House official later confirmed the math to Yahoo Finance.
A Shift from Global to Singular Focus
Trump’s global trade posture had, in early 2025, appeared more evenly spread — with Canada, Mexico, and the EU all facing blanket tariffs. But recent rhetoric and policy have refocused attention on China, echoing themes from Trump’s first term.
“China: That’s the big one,” Trump declared Wednesday.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed the sentiment, calling China “the biggest source of the US trade problems.”
While Trump campaigned on 10% across-the-board tariffs and 60% duties on China, he has now more than doubled his original China pledge, enacting some of the harshest trade penalties in modern American history.
A Strategy of Isolation
The White House appears to be pairing tariffs with a strategic regional realignment, actively courting China’s rivals. Nations like Japan, South Korea, India, and Vietnam are reportedly being fast-tracked for bilateral trade talks, which analysts see as an attempt to economically isolate Beijing.
This echoes Trump’s first-term tactics, but with a much sharper focus and stronger economic levers.
Market and Political Implications
Global markets are already reacting to the news, with analysts warning that the 145% tariff could severely disrupt supply chains and raise import costs for U.S. businesses and consumers. However, Trump’s camp views it as a necessary correction to long-standing trade imbalances.
Whether it strengthens America’s trade hand or triggers retaliation from Beijing remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the Trump administration is placing China at the center of its economic and geopolitical playbook.
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