Amid a fraught trade war, President Donald Trump has expressed frustration towards Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating that he finds it exceptionally difficult to negotiate with him.
This conflict reached a boiling point last month when Trump announced imposing soaring tariffs of 145% on Chinese goods, prompting China to retaliate with a 125% tariff on U.S. products.
Despite a temporary truce between the two nations, which included a 90-day deal intended to reduce tariffs and halt further escalations, both sides have since accused each other of breaching the agreement.
On Wednesday, Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to send out a late-night message regarding Xi.
“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.
His remarks drew mockery on social media, where users embraced the nickname “TACO Trump.” This acronym, coined by a Financial Times columnist, stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
Critics quickly capitalized on the irony of Trump’s predicament; many pointed out the stark contrast between his self-proclaimed status as a master negotiator and his current inability to strike a deal with China.
Political commentator Brian Krassenstein highlighted this contradiction, stating, “The ‘Art of the Deal’ guy is whining that the other side won’t cave or play ball?”
Another social media account quipped, “Trump at 2:17 AM: Xi won’t return my calls. So much for the Art of the deal.”
Trump’s posts come amidst speculation around an impending call with Xi aimed at reviving trade discussions. A Politico report indicated that Trump is keen on establishing communication, believing it may facilitate progress in the stalled negotiations.
Sources revealed that the president is reportedly fixated on having a conversation with Xi, which he believes is critical for advancing trade talks.
“The president is obsessed with having a call with Xi,” noted an individual familiar with the ongoing negotiations.
Pressure is mounting on the White House due to China’s restrictions on critical minerals, further complicating the economic landscape.
“I don’t think Xi is too interested in exporting any more rare earths or magnets to the United States; he’s made his position clear,” added the source, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to apply maximum pressure on the Chinese government when the time is right.
Further stirring the pot, Trump declared on social media that he would no longer approach China niceties on trade, alleging that the country had disregarded their agreement.
In the Oval Office, he echoed these sentiments, stating that he would still hope to communicate with Xi while expressing discontent over China’s alleged violations of the deal.
“The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump declared in a post.
Responding to Trump’s accusations, the Chinese Commerce Ministry criticized the U.S., asserting that rather than self-reflection, the U.S. has unjustly shifted blame onto China, which contradicts the facts at hand.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick characterized the situation as the Chinese merely “slow rolling the deal” since the discussions in Geneva.
As both nations grapple with the implications of their trade relationship, the evolving narrative continues to draw attention to the heated dynamics between the two powerful countries.
image source from：https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/06/will-taco-trump-cave-to-china-again-heres-what-he-said-in-latest-rant.html
