WH Press Sec. Leavitt: I Don’t Think It’s Fair to Say Trump’s Stance on China Is ‘Softening’

Smith All right Karoline ░░░░░░░░ re watching markets They ░░░░░░░░ to be so sensitive ░░░░░░░░ everything that comes out ░░░░░░░░ the White House right ░░░░░░░░ whether or not you ░░░░░░░░ the Federal Reserve chair ░░░░░░░░ keep his job whether ░░░░░░░░ not the president is ░░░░░░░░ his stance on tariffs ░░░░░░░░ recently saying that talking ░░░░░░░░ the Chinese imports they ░░░░░░░░ very high the tariffs ░░░░░░░░ imports very high and ░░░░░░░░ won t be that ░░░░░░░░ won t be anywhere ░░░░░░░░ that high said the ░░░░░░░░ It ll come down ░░░░░░░░ but it won t ░░░░░░░░ zero Is it fair ░░░░░░░░ say Karoline that the ░░░░░░░░ s stance on tariffs ░░░░░░░░ China is softening LEAVITT ░░░░░░░░ don t think that ░░░░░░░░ fair to say In ░░░░░░░░ I spoke to the ░░░░░░░░ about it this morning ░░░░░░░░ is not going to ░░░░░░░░ up on ensuring that ░░░░░░░░ are fair trade practices ░░░░░░░░ the world He is ░░░░░░░░ giving up on the ░░░░░░░░ that China has been ░░░░░░░░ off the United States ░░░░░░░░ America for far too ░░░░░░░░ And President Trump has ░░░░░░░░ hundreds of countries now ░░░░░░░░ around the world to ░░░░░░░░ negotiating table We have ░░░░░░░░ proposals on paper from ░░░░░░░░ around the world who ░░░░░░░░ that they have in ░░░░░░░░ been ripping off the ░░░░░░░░ States And there s ░░░░░░░░ president in the Oval ░░░░░░░░ right now who is ░░░░░░░░ longer going to tolerate ░░░░░░░░ So this is the ░░░░░░░░ of the deal President ░░░░░░░░ is using the leverage ░░░░░░░░ the United States to ░░░░░░░░ nations to the negotiating ░░░░░░░░ That includes China who ░░░░░░░░ remains very optimistic there ░░░░░░░░ be a fair trade ░░░░░░░░ with China that finally ░░░░░░░░ American workers and American ░░░░░░░░ first And everybody across ░░░░░░░░ aisle ask Democrats they ░░░░░░░░ been saying it for ░░░░░░░░ Everybody understands what President ░░░░░░░░ is doing is in ░░░░░░░░ best interest of the ░░░░░░░░ States especially our national ░░░░░░░░ interests We need to ░░░░░░░░ critical supplies critical minerals ░░░░░░░░ chips right here in ░░░░░░░░ United States of America ░░░░░░░░ just for our economic ░░░░░░░░ but our national security ░░░░░░░░ well And the president ░░░░░░░░ focused on doing that ░░░░░░░░ Karoline let s see ░░░░░░░░ we can break a ░░░░░░░░ news here What s ░░░░░░░░ timetable for the reduction ░░░░░░░░ the tariffs against China ░░░░░░░░ president was ambiguous about ░░░░░░░░ Scott Bessent seemed to ░░░░░░░░ it wouldn t happen ░░░░░░░░ negotiations are at least ░░░░░░░░ LEAVITT Let me be ░░░░░░░░ There will be no ░░░░░░░░ reduction in tariffs against ░░░░░░░░ The president has made ░░░░░░░░ clear China needs to ░░░░░░░░ a deal with the ░░░░░░░░ States of America and ░░░░░░░░ are optimistic that will ░░░░░░░░ And when that continues ░░░░░░░░ will be up to ░░░░░░░░ president what the tariff ░░░░░░░░ on China will be ░░░░░░░░ we certainly need to ░░░░░░░░ a reduction in tariffs ░░░░░░░░ non monetary tariff barriers ░░░░░░░░ China as well And ░░░░░░░░ also need to continue ░░░░░░░░ these companies abroad return ░░░░░░░░ manufacturing to the United ░░░░░░░░ of America so we ░░░░░░░░ shore up these critical ░░░░░░░░ chains Smith OK Well ░░░░░░░░ seemed to be watching ░░░░░░░░ bit of it Well ░░░░░░░░ their highs of the ░░░░░░░░ but still up about ░░░░░░░░ points today in anticipation ░░░░░░░░ what may be coming ░░░░░░░░