Trump likes China's Xi Jinping, but finds him 'extremely hard' to make a deal with

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday weighed in once again on U.S.-China relations amid their ongoing trade talks after the tariff war.

In his post on Truth Social, Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “VERY TOUGH” and “EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH,” even as he reiterated his personal admiration for the Chinese leader.

“I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!” Trump wrote.


Trump’s remarks come as negotiations between the world’s two largest economies hit a snag. U.S. officials confirmed over the weekend that China has yet to fulfill parts of a temporary tariff reduction agreement struck in Geneva last month, a deal meant to pause the escalating trade war for 90 days.

Further, Bessent and White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett both had indicated the leaders' call could happen as early as this week.


According to The Wall Street Journal, Chinese delays in approving export licenses for rare earth elements, materials crucial to manufacturing electric vehicles and semiconductors, have sparked new concerns in Washington. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed those reports, stating on Face the Nation that China appears to be “withholding some of the products they agreed to release.”

“Maybe it's a glitch in the Chinese system. Maybe it's intentional. We'll see after the president speaks with Xi,” Bessent said, adding, “I'm confident that when President Trump and Party Chairman Xi have a call, this will be ironed out.”

The backdrop to the tension is the recently agreed tariff reduction, in which the United States dropped additional tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 per cent to 30 per cent, while China lowered its retaliatory duties from 125 per cent to 10 per cent. The pause was hailed as a breakthrough, but with rare earths still restricted, the relations remains fragile.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Fox News Sunday that China was “slow-rolling the deal,” prompting Washington to consider reciprocal pressure tactics. “We are taking certain actions to show them what it feels like on the other side of that equation,” Lutnick said.

Separately, Trump signed executive order doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, a move aimed at bolstering U.S. national defense capacity. The decision drew immediate criticism from the European Union, which threatened retaliation.

Hassett defended the move, citing China's “dumping” of cheap steel as a threat to U.S. military preparedness. “If we have cannons but not cannonballs, then we can’t fight a war,” he told This Week. “And if we don’t have steel, then the U.S. isn’t ready.”