Former U.S. President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, on the 30th to strongly criticize China for violating the previously agreed-upon trade pact. He stated, "This doesn’t surprise some people. I am no longer being the nice guy!"

Trump highlighted that two weeks ago, China was entrenched in an economic crisis, with the U.S. imposing high tariffs on Chinese products, making it almost impossible for China to enter the world’s largest market. He described the U.S.-China trade as having been "effectively severed," resulting in severe economic damage to China, leading to many factory closures and even social unrest.

"I did not want to see China end up in such a situation," Trump wrote. "So I swiftly facilitated an agreement to prevent worse outcomes for China." He emphasized that after the agreement was signed, the situation stabilized rapidly, and the Chinese economy could return to normal, with both sides initially pleased. However, Trump shifted gears, pointing out, "The bad news is that China has completely violated our agreement." He believes that this development may have been anticipated by some, thus, "The nice guy routine stops here."

Trump has frequently used tariffs as a pressure tactic against China during his tenure, and despite policies causing trade tensions between the two countries, he views it as defending U.S. economic interests. This latest post exemplifies his consistent hardline stance, introducing new variables into the future of U.S.-China economic relations.