Trump, Xi may speak this week amid renewed US-China trade tensions
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that “the two leaders will likely talk this week,” following Trump’s renewed criticism of China for allegedly breaching a recent trade agreement that had led both countries to pause their tit-for-tat tariff measures.
When asked about the expected call on Tuesday, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry responded that Beijing had “no information to provide.”
Despite Trump’s repeated claims that a call with Xi is imminent, the two leaders have had no confirmed contact since Trump returned to office over five months ago. In April, Trump claimed in a Time magazine interview that Xi had reached out to him, a claim Chinese officials denied, stating no such call had taken place.
In April, Trump imposed sweeping global tariffs—hitting China hardest—while accusing multiple nations of exploiting the United States and maintaining unfair trade surpluses.
Last month, Beijing and Washington agreed to a temporary 90-day reduction in tariffs after high-level negotiations in Geneva. However, tensions have flared again in recent days. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick accused China of “slow-rolling” the implementation of the deal during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. Trump and other officials echoed these concerns.
China, in response, dismissed the allegations as “bogus” and criticized Washington for implementing what it called “a number of discriminatory restrictive measures.”
Meanwhile, Trump has also intensified trade friction with other partners, announcing that global tariffs on steel and aluminum will be doubled to 50 percent starting Wednesday, a move that could further strain ties with the European Union and other allies.
