Donald Trump has once again returned to his signature genre — trade wars spiced with emotional drama. This time, the US president has responded to China’s restrictions on rare earth metal exports with a crushing blow: 100% tariffs on all Chinese exports in addition to the existing ones. In other words, if a Chinese product was already subject to a 30% tariff, it now faces an additional 100%, making it a total of 130%.
It all started when China sent out what Trump’s administration called “extremely hostile letters” announcing export controls on rare earth elements — the critical materials used in everything from smartphones to missiles. Trump saw this as an attempt by Beijing to “hold the world hostage”, and responded immediately in his signature style on Truth Social.
“For every element they’ve managed to monopolize, we’ve got two,” Trump remarked, suggesting the US is ready for a full-fledged economic battle.
In addition to tariffs, he threatened to impose export controls on critical software and restrictions on aircraft parts for Boeing, noting that China owns many Boeing jets and “they won’t be happy without spare parts.”
A potential meeting with Xi Jinping at the APEC summit is now in serious doubt. Trump stated he “sees no point in it”, though he later added he would “show up anyway.” Apparently, the final decision is made in real time, depending on his mood.
What especially infuriated Trump was the timing of China’s announcement, which coincided with the start of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a development he considers his personal diplomatic victory. In his view, world peace deserved at least a full weekend of celebration before a new conflict broke out.
