Markets Boom in Response to Trump’s China Tariff Strategy of Pause and Effect
President Trump’s 90-day tariff rollback deal with China has sent the stock market soaring and stunned critics who claimed his trade war would spark economic ruin. Now that China is not only slashing its retaliatory tariffs but also lifting vague non-tariff barriers and agreeing to further talks, it’s clear: Trump’s pressure campaign worked.
Andrea Widburg, Managing Editor of American Thinker, lays out the significance of this breakthrough in her latest commentary, arguing that the deal validates Trump’s long-game economic strategy. Far from a reckless repeat of Smoot-Hawley, she explains why Trump’s tariffs leveraged America’s position as the world’s top consumer economy to force China to the table.
Widburg makes the case that the economy of 2025 is nothing like 1929—and that most media and academic critics have missed this entirely. The real story isn’t just the temporary tariff reduction, she writes, but what it signals: a Chinese government blinking first, and markets reacting accordingly. The S&P and Nasdaq both jumped several percentage points, with investors seeing stability, momentum, and proof that tariffs didn’t tank the economy—they tilted the field in America’s favor.
Andrea is available now to discuss:
- Why this deal is a strategic “ceasefire,” not a surrender
- What’s actually different about the U.S. economy in 2025 vs. the 1930s
- Why markets cheered Trump’s move and what that says about investor confidence
- What this means for ongoing U.S.–China negotiations and Trump’s broader trade doctrine
- Why Trump’s critics misread the leverage dynamics from the beginning
Andrea offers grounded, accessible analysis that connects historical insight with modern market realities. She’s a sharp commentator who doesn’t just follow the headlines—she explains what they actually mean.
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Optional Q&A:
- Why do you see this 90-day China tariff rollback as a strategic win for Trump rather than a retreat?
- You argue this isn’t another Smoot-Hawley moment — what key differences make Trump’s approach work in today’s economy?
- What does China’s agreement to reduce both tariffs and non-tariff barriers signal about their position in this trade standoff?
- How do you respond to critics who say Trump’s tariffs hurt American consumers and businesses more than they pressured China?
- The markets clearly loved this deal — what message do you think Wall Street took from the news?
- Do you see this as a temporary reprieve or the start of a longer-term shift in U.S.–China trade relations?
- You mention the U.S. being a debtor nation with major buying power — how does that give Trump leverage in global trade talks?
- What should Americans watch for in the next phase of negotiations — and what would a real, lasting deal with China look like?
ABOUT ANDREA WIDBURG…
Andrea Widburg is the Managing Editor of American Thinker and has been with that site since 2020. She is a former Democrat who was raised in San Francisco and received a BA from UC Berkeley. After receiving a JD from the University of Texas at Austin, she worked as a lawyer in the San Francisco Bay Area for 30 years and raised two children. Appearing in leftist-run courts, raising children against a culture hostile to childhood innocence, and witnessing the Democrat party turn against Israel, along with the shock therapy of 9/11, made her reexamine her political beliefs, leading her to embrace constitutional conservatism. Her website is www.AmericanThinker.com
