White House Announces It Will Not Unilaterally Lower Tariffs on China

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Wednesday that the United States will not lower tariffs on China unilaterally, insisting that Beijing must first reduce its own trade and tariff barriers on American goods.

“China needs to make a deal with the United States of America, and we are optimistic that will happen,” Leavitt told Fox News. Her comments come amid growing speculation that the White House is preparing to de-escalate its ongoing trade war with China.

President Donald Trump last week expressed hope that a deal could be reached within “three to four weeks,” while claiming that China had been “calling a lot” since his administration imposed sweeping tariffs on April 2. The tariff policy quickly triggered a retaliatory response from Beijing and escalated into a full-blown trade conflict.

While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump suggested that the current 145% tariff on Chinese imports may soon be reduced. “One hundred forty-five percent is very high, and it won’t be that high,” he said.

A report published earlier Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal indicated that the Trump administration is considering lowering the tariffs to a range of 50–65%.

Despite the optimistic tone in public, no formal negotiations are currently underway between Washington and Beijing. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told an audience at a JPMorgan Chase event that negotiations with China are likely to be “a slog” while reaffirming talks have not yet started.

Beijing, however, has acknowledged the softened rhetoric. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Wednesday that China’s “doors are wide open” for negotiations. Still, while the path to formal talks may be opening, the two sides may remain far apart on substance.

In a separate comment on Wednesday, Secretary Bessent suggested that the U.S. could assist China in transitioning to a consumer-based economy while simultaneously restoring American manufacturing. However, such a proposal may be a non-starter, as China is unlikely to make concessions that jeopardize its industrial base.