President Donald Trump ordered U.S. companies to “start looking for an alternative” to China for business Friday after the country announced a 25% tariff on all U.S. automobiles and a 5% to 10% tariff on $75 billion of U.S. goods.
Trump said bringing companies back home would be a “GREAT opportunity” for the United States. The announcement came a day after the president said he is “the chosen one” to handle trade with China.
“Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing your companies HOME and making your products in the USA. I will be responding to China’s Tariffs this afternoon. This is a GREAT opportunity for the United States,” Trump wrote.
“We don’t need China and, frankly, would be far better off without them. The vast amounts of money made and stolen by China from the United States, year after year, for decades, will and must STOP,” he continued.
….better off without them. The vast amounts of money made and stolen by China from the United States, year after year, for decades, will and must STOP. Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2019
“Also, I am ordering all carriers, including Fed Ex, Amazon, UPS and the Post Office, to SEARCH FOR & REFUSE, all deliveries of Fentanyl from China (or anywhere else!),” he said. “Fentanyl kills 100,000 Americans a year. President Xi said this would stop – it didn’t. Our Economy, because of our gains in the last 2 1/2 years, is MUCH larger than that of China. We will keep it that way!”
….all deliveries of Fentanyl from China (or anywhere else!). Fentanyl kills 100,000 Americans a year. President Xi said this would stop – it didn’t. Our Economy, because of our gains in the last 2 1/2 years, is MUCH larger than that of China. We will keep it that way!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2019
As CNBC reporter Eamon Javers explained on Twitter, however, “White House aides right now offering no explanation for why President Trump believes he can ‘hereby order’ American companies to do anything. Also, officials have no information about what the president may or may not be announcing this afternoon, per his tweet.”
The Chinese State Council said “China was forced to take countermeasures” against “measures by the U.S.” in reference to additional tariffs Trump said he would implement on $300 billion of Chinese goods that are set to take effect Dec. 15, according to CNBC. (RELATED: More Than 600 U.S. Companies Sign Letter In Support Of Trump’s Tariffs)
“The Chinese side hopes that the US will continue to follow the consensus of the Osaka meeting, return to the correct track of consultation and resolve differences, and work hard with China to end the goal of ending economic and trade frictions,” the statement continued.
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