The White House announced on Tuesday that tariffs on imports from China, initially imposed by former President Donald Trump, are set to increase overnight to 104%, as Beijing continues to maintain its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made this known during a briefing with reporters.
Leavitt said, “It was a mistake for China to retaliate. When America is punched, [the president] punches back harder.
“That is why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.”
Recall that Chinese goods were already slated to face 54% tariffs as part of former President Donald Trump’s latest wave of import duties, set to take effect on Wednesday.
Last week, Trump announced a baseline 10% tariff on all imports. However, he had already imposed a 20% tariff specifically on Chinese imports, followed by an additional 34% duty—bringing the total to 54%—in response to what he described as an unfair trade imbalance with China.
On Monday, Trump escalated the trade tension further by imposing an extra 50% tariff on Chinese goods, retaliating against the 34% tariffs China recently levied on U.S. exports. As a result, the total tariff rate on certain Chinese imports is now set to reach 104%.
