Trump admits flubbing figures in rambling trade war speech: ‘I misunderstood’
President Donald Trump spoke Monday about negotiations with China that resulted in a dramatic step back from a tariff trade war — but in a rambling speech, he revealed the talks had left him confused.
First, he told the press, "Both sides now agreed to reduce the tariffs imposed. After April 2nd, to 10% for 90 days as negotiators continue." The date was more than a month in the past as he was talking May 12.
Trump then claimed that, until they began speaking, China was "being hurt very badly. They were closing up factories. They were having a lot of unrest, and they were very happy to be able to do something with us."
"And I don't know if people realize this, but we made a great deal with China, a great trade deal. But it was a much bigger deal originally, and then they canceled it right in the last day," Trump also claimed. He appeared to be talking about a previous negotiation from his first administration, and not the one that happened over the weekend, as he mentioned former Secretary of Agriculture Donny Perdue.
"Some of your faces I remember were there when that happened. I remember you, and we had a deal where they opened up their country to trade with the United States, and they took that away at the last moment," Trump said.
ALSO READ: Trump's toadies are peddling a dangerous lie to America's working class
It's unclear what he meant, but China has been trading with the U.S. for decades. The Library of Congress page that discusses U.S. trade said that in 1979, the "U.S. and China reestablished diplomatic relations and signed a bilateral trade deal."
Trump claimed that "they took that away at the last moment," but then followed up by saying, "and then I canceled the whole thing. And then six months later, we ended up doing a smaller deal. But it was a big deal. It was $50 billion worth of product that they were going to purchase from our farmers, etc, and we agreed to that."
He then confessed that he was confused about the amount of the tariffs.
"People thought it was 15 because they were doing 15," Trump said. "We made it 50 because I misunderstood the 15. I thought they said — I said, you got to get 50 because when I asked — if you remember the story — when I asked, what are we doing with them? My secretary of agriculture at the time, Sonny Perdue, said, uh, sir, it's about $15 billion and we're asking for 15. And I thought he said 50. So, I said — so they came back with the deal at 15 and I said, no way, I want 50 because you said 50. They said, sir, we didn't say that. Anyway. Bottom line, I said, go back and ask for 50. And they gave us 50, and they were honoring the deal, and we would call them up a lot for the corn and for the wheat and for everything."
Trump said that China was "honoring the detail" until former President Joe Biden "got in, they no longer honored the deal." When Biden came into office, it was amid the COVID-19 crisis, when trade was disrupted.
"The effects of the countries’ different responses are evident in our trade data as Chinese exports are more affected by the shock than Chinese imports. The impact of COVID-19 on trade included delays, shortages, and increased transportation costs. These shocks affected both supply and demand," Science Direct reported in a report about the way the pandemic disrupted trade.
Trump claimed that under Biden, "there was nobody to call. I would call on an average of once every two weeks to say, come on, you have to speed it up a little bit. And our farmers were doing great. I said to him, buy more land and bigger tractors. If you remember, that's what happened. But the deal was a very good deal. But the best part of the deal was that we opened up China. China agreed to open itself up to American business to go in, and it would have been a great thing, I think, for China, they would be able to see things that they haven't seen. They would be able to buy products that they had never been able to buy. Would have been great for American businesses."
Trump then said "they canceled it the last day" and "I got a little bit angry."
See a clip of the comments below or at the link here.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
MAGA loyalists draw up plans to rid senior Republicans of Senate seats: report
MAGA “loyalists” are making moves to oust senators who are not in line with President Donald Trump, according to an Axios report.
Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are all at risk of facing a primary challenge in 2026.
Cornyn is a loud critic of Trump over several issues, including the deficit and border security.
MAGA would prefer to see Texas' Attorney General Ken Paxton fill the seat, Axios wrote. Paxton was impeached by the state House on bribery and corruption charges in 2023.
According to the outlet, Tillis crossed the president — and the MAGA movement — by voting against the nomination of Ed Martin to be U.S. attorney for D.C.
He was also inclined to vote against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s nomination, but eventually folded.
EXCLUSIVE: Breastfeeding mom of US citizen sues Kristi Noem after being grabbed by ICE
The president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, would likely be the primary challenger, but she has not announced if she will run.
Axios says Former Governor Roy Cooper appears increasingly likely to run on the Democratic ticket.
Cassidy voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6. Axios believes “Louisiana is safer for Republicans” because both Cornyn and Tillis are predicted to face strong democratic candidates.
According to the report, several far-right, Trump-endorsed congressional candidates have coasted to the GOP nomination. However, some ended up losing the general election.
MAGA activists, like influencer Jack Posobiec, believe the potential loss in 2026 is worth the challenge. “MAGA is sick of RINOs (Republicans in name only), especially in states Trump won. And in a state like Texas, it's inexcusable," he told Axios.
Trump has not made endorsements in any of these races. The outlet said, “By holding off [an endorsement], he maintains leverage over Cornyn and Tillis, whose support he needs to pass his legislative agenda.”
The White House did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
‘Entertainment person’: Trump gives backhanded praise to celebrity admin picks
President Donald Trump took time out of an announcement on medication prices to praise former television personalities Mehmet Oz and Jeanine Pirro.
On Monday, Trump made the remarks before signing an executive order on drug prices. Oz heads the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services while Pirro is expected to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
"When you're in show business, it hurts your reputation a little bit," Trump noted. "It's good for you, but in terms of professionalism and being a doctor, it sort of hurts your reputation."
The president compared Oz to Pirro, whom he called "a special woman."
EXCLUSIVE: Breastfeeding mom of US citizen sues Kristi Noem after being grabbed by ICE
"She was really tough, really sharp," he explained. "Then she did a show, and people didn't think of it quite the same way. She became more of an entertainment person, like Oz. Oz is not an entertainment — he's not really an entertainer."
"And she isn't either. She is unbelievable," Trump added. "She was one of the strongest, district attorneys in the history of New York, highly respected, very tough, went after the drug dealers at a level that you don't see today anymore, and hopefully she's going to be, she's given up a tremendous, she's leaving the number one show on cable television, one of the number one shows on television, period, 'The Five.'"
"Janine Pirro is unbelievable."
MAGA senator whines Fox News radicalized his parents: ‘They’re mad at me!’
Pro-MAGA Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) complained about facing a "purity test" from angry Republican voters, including his own parents, who he says were indoctrinated by watching Fox News.
Marshall, a top backer of President Donald Trump, is a Kansas senator who voted to reject the 2020 election results and is seeking re-election this fall.
The senator made the confession about tension in his family during a recent interview on 13th & Park, a podcast produced by Ballard Partners, a pro-Trump lobbying firm with a history of alleged ethical breaches.
"Well, I think the number one I hear is the cost of gas, the cost of groceries," Marshall said, describing what Kansans tell him when he travels the state. "Homes are unaffordable."
"The anger runs deeper than economics," he added. "I've never seen people so mad."
"And if you think about it, the job of the national media — what they try to do is make my parents mad," Marshall told the podcast, blaming right-wing media. "They sit home, and they watch Fox News and Newsmax, and guess what? They're mad at me. They're mad at John Thune. They're mad at Mitch McConnell. They're mad at Donald."
"There's this purity test. I feel this anger," he lamented. "More than ever before... It's so easy to create hate."
Marshall's parents join a growing group of voters who are enraged at the senator.
In March 2025, Marshall walked out of a town hall in Oakley, Kansas — a rural community in a county where Trump won 85% of the vote — after constituents booed him and shouted "You're not done," according to local reporting.
"We don't have time for everyone to stand up. I do got two more commitments today. I appreciate everybody making the drive out and God bless America," Marshall told the crowd before walking out to boos and shouts.
"That is a damn shame," said Chuck Nunn, a local resident who raised concerns about Trump administration cuts to veterans' services, as the crowd applauded.
On his own Senate website, Marshall has declared, "We all want to make America great again."
State election records show he faces a Republican primary on Aug. 4 and a general election on Nov. 3.
