Why Trump Really Ended Up Putting Out a Positive Tweet About China's President and Trade Policy

Very thankful for President Xi of China’s kind words on tariffs and automobile barriers...also, his enlightenment on intellectual property and technology transfers. We will make great progress together!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2018

It wasn't his idea.

His advisers sweet-talked him into putting out the tweet.

The New York Times reports:

And it was Kudlow who told the president Tuesday that he might want to consider publicly praising Xi’s speech, after days of aggressive rhetoric against China that included a threat of an additional $100 billion in tariffs, on top of the $50 billion already threatened, if China failed to change its trade practices.

At an impromptu meeting in the Oval Office, Trump seemed to like the idea, and John F. Kelly, the chief of staff, chimed in that he should do it by tweet, “for maximum impact,” Kudlow recalled. A round of “wordsmithing” ensued with Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, who was also on hand, and Kudlow said the result was significant.

“It was huge,” Kudlow said, “because now these two guys are, shall we say, communicating in a positive way.”

There is no evidence that either Xi’s speech or the presidential tweet has led to any substantive progress in averting the prospect of a tariff tit-for-tat that could have grave consequences for the United States.

The tweet means nothing once trade-hater and Trump adviser Peter Navarro gets Trump's ear again.

-Robert Wenzel