Editorial Board
Trump Blinks on China Tariffs. That's a Start.
Some of his critics need reminding that trade war isn’t in anyone’s interest.
Don’t negotiate too hard.
Photographer: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
President Donald Trump’s aggressive new trade policy isn’t going too well. His threats to impose tariffs on imports from China, Europe and other trade partners have so far yielded much less than he promised — and instead of retaliating, he shows signs of backing off.
It’s right to criticize him for saying one thing and doing another, but bear in mind that he could do worse things than that — such as actually keeping his promise to start a trade war. Given this president’s benighted approach to trade and international relations, capitulation with no further damage done would be a pretty good result.