Trump defends tariffs against China amid tensions, confirms ‘trade war’ is underway

President Trump defended his tough tariffs against China, stating that a full-blown trade war is underway and confirming the imposition of a 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting November 1 in response to Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth mineral exports. He argued these tariffs are necessary for national security and to prevent China from gaining unfair control over critical supply chains and high-tech industries, emphasizing that without tariffs, the U.S. would lack essential economic defenses.