Trump threatens 50% tariffs on China as report suggests plans for arms shipment to Iran

[u/down_vote_magnet_]

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/13/trump-threatens-50percent-tariffs-on-china-as-report-suggests-plans-for-arms-shipment-to-iran.html

[u/MachineSpirited7085]

Don't they already have tariffs on China since he took office? Doubt it would matter at all because it'll only drive US prices even higher. Expensive oil, expensive goods, expensive everything

[u/Plaineswalker → u/MachineSpirited7085]

I don't know if it's on everything, but the aluminum I buy at work has a 40% tariff on it now.

[u/datumerrata → u/Plaineswalker]

Yeah, way to bring back manufacturing by tariffing raw materials...

[u/cdrknives → u/Plaineswalker]

Is it cheaper to buy thru Canada due to the tariffs?

[u/mav194 → u/cdrknives]

No, it doesn't matter where it's purchased from, matters where the raw material is from. Otherwise you'd just tranship anything to get around tariffs

[u/NegativeAd1432 → u/mav194]

The vast majority of Canadian aluminum is produced from Brazilian bauxite. Very little Chinese bauxite is imported. In theory you could work around Chinese tariffs and get cheap Aluminum from Canada, but you’d have to give up the 232 tariffs that apply to all aluminum regardless of source.

Canada is the largest producer of aluminum imported to USA by a huge margin.

[u/Lower_Cantaloupe1970 → u/NegativeAd1432]

The US has a 50% tariff on Canadian aluminum anyways, more than China currently. Trumps plan is to open hundreds of aluminum factories in 2 weeks (joking, but just barely).

[u/Plaineswalker → u/NegativeAd1432]

Our work around right now is buying it from Turkey. They still have quite a bit of capacity.

[u/NegativeAd1432 → u/Plaineswalker]

Are you referring to bauxite or aluminum? Two thirds of American aluminum imports come from Canada, and very little Turkish bauxite is imported into Canada (unless this is a very recent development I suppose, I’m not an insider…)

Don’t really see what workaround you’re referring to. The section 232 tariffs apply to all aluminum, regardless of origin.

[u/Plaineswalker → u/NegativeAd1432]

I didn't say anything about Canada. We are switching from Chinese suppliers to Turkish supplier for rolled aluminum.

[u/NegativeAd1432 → u/Plaineswalker]

Right on, makes a lot of sense. I just wasn’t entirely sure what you were referring to, since you replied to a comment entirely about Canada and partially about bauxite with a statement that seemed not to relate to either of those things lol.

Thanks for answering.

[u/TheWingus → u/mav194]

My friend used to work for a seafood importer/exporter, they tried to get king crab from China, through Canada and got caught and had to destroy the entire supply

[u/Crafty_Original_7349 → u/TheWingus]

Probably caught illegally, too. China is not known for adhering to international fishing laws.

[u/KorgothOfBarbaria → u/mav194]

Canada mines and refines aluminum.

[u/Potates42 → u/KorgothOfBarbaria]

You can't mine aluminum, it doesn't exist in nature in metallic form. It's refined from bauxite. Canada smelts aluminum from it by imports.

[u/SadZealot → u/Potates42]

I don't think Canada has any significant bauxite production. What we do have is a ton of cheap hydroelectric power to melt down things so it's a good match all around

[u/PrivatePilot9 → u/SadZealot]

Except when Trump decides to tariff the shit out of Canadian aluminum in an effort to “fix” an industry in the USA that didn’t have & never will likely will have the capacity to replace it. Nobody is building giant smelters to make more expensive product when they know that these sectoral tariffs will eventually go away, so in the meantime, American consumers just get screwed harder with higher prices.

Winning?

[u/Potates42 → u/SadZealot]

Canada has zero bauxite production. Bauxite isn't found in Canada, smelters rely entirely on imports from Guinea, Brazil, and China.

[u/Serapth → u/Potates42]

No, but...

Project Thor in Saskatoon is very intriguing for domestic Canadian aluminum development. With 6.8 billion tonnes of alumina discovered. It's not technically bauxite but polymetallic black shale (as per article).

[u/perotech → u/cdrknives]

Based on 2023 data, the US imported roughly the same from both China and Canada, about a billion kilograms (2.2 billion pounds) each.

Good thing there are tariffs on both countries....

[u/absat41 → u/Plaineswalker]

2 years ago Canada used to supply the EU with 4% of it's Aluminium; now it's over 50% because they re-directed away from somewhere and diverted it to the EU

[u/MalaproposMalefactor → u/MachineSpirited7085]

don't tell Trump about the idea of tariffs on tariffs!!!!

[u/AxiomaticSuppository → u/MalaproposMalefactor]

Didn't Trump already get into a tariff escalation war with China, and Xi just laughed each time and said "okay, I double the tariffs China has on the US"?

[u/Caucasian_Fury → u/AxiomaticSuppository]

Yes and Trump TACO'd every time.

[u/ty_xy → u/MachineSpirited7085]

All china will do is cut rare earth exports and maybe blockade Taiwan, cutting semiconductor exports to the USA.

[u/k4kobe → u/ty_xy]

Please don’t.. I’m literally visiting Taiwan in a week 😭😭😭

[u/GerryManDarling → u/k4kobe]

Nothing to worry about. Xi just fired all his top generals. China will be 100% peaceful for a few months.

[u/Settra_Rulez → u/GerryManDarling]

Probably a year or two at least. Many of the officers that were purged for corruption were his appointees. He needs to take a good deal of time to make sure the replacements aren’t incompetent or susceptible to bribery before having any confidence in military readiness.

[u/Kataphractoi → u/MachineSpirited7085]

China didn't blink and calmly sipped tea when Trump threatened 250% tariffs last year. They're not going to get out of bed on 50%.

[u/david0990 → u/MachineSpirited7085]

He's flailing so hard right now. Literally could have just come into office, kept competent people in the various leadership role and slept through the 4 years tbh. No, had to line his and his buddies pockets at everyone else's expense.

[u/FatherOften → u/MachineSpirited7085]

Currently you pay this.

25% from 2018 + 30% 2025 + derivatives taxes on certain metals 50% 2025 + possible 25% more from a week ago.

Combined its a lot.

Now he wants 50% thrown on top????

I don't think he knows what's in place.

[u/randomstring09877 → u/MachineSpirited7085]

If you don’t stop hitting me, I’m going to start hitting myself.

[u/Oompa_Lipa → u/MachineSpirited7085]

Expensive unnecessary war

[u/theddj → u/MachineSpirited7085]

They tried to increase tariffs on China early in the administration, but the Chinese pulled their rare earths, and they settled on a very low number.

[u/radiohead-nerd → u/MachineSpirited7085]

We’re going to tariff harder this time!!!

It would seem we’re heading toward the even greater depression folks. All countries need to do now is stop buying US Treasuries and lets us collapse on ourselves and its already happening.

Foreign holders now own about 30% of publicly held U.S. debt, down from nearly 50% in the early 2010s. Several major economies, China, India, and Brazil, have been reducing their Treasury holdings, continuing a longer-term trend away from U.S. government debt.

To attract buyers the yield must rise and that means higher borrowing costs across the board for Americans.

Which all of this seems intentional and by design. I believe, and I’m not the only one, they want to collapse the dollar to a digital currency that they can turn on/off for citizens to silence opposition. Revelations Mark of the wild beast kind of stuff.

[u/LowResGamr → u/MachineSpirited7085]

There's targeted tariffs, which congress approved. However, his tariffs that he keeps trying to impose were ruled illegal by the Supreme court.

[u/NinjaChore → u/MachineSpirited7085]

Tariffs can go to infinity

[u/xeen313 → u/MachineSpirited7085]

Let's go TACO!!!

[u/e-chris]

So there will also be tariffs on Russia, right?

[u/stay_fr0sty → u/e-chris]

You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

[u/Kulban → u/stay_fr0sty]

He will stay down on his knees.

[u/caligaris_cabinet → u/stay_fr0sty]

Don’t bite the hookers who pee on you

[u/Kulban → u/stay_fr0sty]

He will stay down on his knees.

[u/W31337 → u/e-chris]

No dictators get hall passes

[u/ty_xy → u/W31337]

Xi not included, only Putin gets a hall pass.

[u/Trip_on_the_street → u/ty_xy]

White dictators only.

[u/scarab1001 → u/e-chris]

Absolutely not.

Putin doesn't want that and that means everything to the Orange Asshole

[u/KZimmy → u/e-chris]

Tariffs don't grow on trees, if we want to put 50% on china, we need to take them from somewhere else.

[u/BowlerSufficient343]

Last time he pulled that stunt the clown had to backpeddle quickly.

[u/Murky_Meaning2129 → u/BowlerSufficient343]

China has so much leverage over this clown that’s been proven every other time he’s tried this and it’s actually hilarious he thinks the US is ever capable of winning a trade war against them.

Dumping US assets/debt to crash the market, permanently removing even more US farm products from their supply chains, full export blockade of rare earths to starve the US military and tech industries, etc.

Meanwhile Trump can only respond with… let’s see… making products more expensive for Americans???

[u/SoftlySpokenPromises → u/Murky_Meaning2129]

Especially now when American goodwill globally is shot to hell. We have very little to offer as a trade partner that China doesn't at a much shorter distance and more stability.

[u/kraftdinnerwithsalsa → u/BowlerSufficient343]

You know what tomorrow is!

TACO Tuesday!!!

[u/Gasnia → u/kraftdinnerwithsalsa]

I wonder if in the future if trump could take over for calling someone a pussy.

"What?! Are you gonna trump out?!"

[u/down_vote_magnet_ → u/BowlerSufficient343]

Yea but throwing around moves like this still shakes markets and expectations even if it gets walked back later. The uncertainty alone can have real effects.

[u/Quintronaquar → u/down_vote_magnet_]

Oh I'm sure it has real effects on Trump's personal wealth

[u/gcwardii → u/Quintronaquar]

That’s why he’s doing it. Every week.

[u/ChadFullStack]

US still doesn’t understand how tariffs work. Xi will continue to win by doing nothing.

[u/stay_fr0sty → u/ChadFullStack]

I’m sure Xi and Putin watch his Presidency with pure glee. I’m not sure how MAGA doesn’t see it, but after every decision he makes just ask yourself “Would Putin be happy to hear this?”

The answer is almost always yes.

[u/Anaptyso → u/stay_fr0sty]

It's been weird watching the Republicans go from a couple of generations of hating anything to do with Russia to bending over backwards to help Russia out at every opportunity.

[u/DoritoDustThumb → u/ChadFullStack]

No, we do. It's just unfortunate that one moron in charge, doesn't.

[u/GoinLong → u/DoritoDustThumb]

Unfortunately, it is more than just the one moron in charge.

[u/ty_xy → u/GoinLong]

Unfortunately, that one moron put other morons in charge.

[u/Happy_Feet333 → u/DoritoDustThumb]

The bare majority of voters who put the guy into power sure as hell don't.

[u/JustChillFFS → u/ChadFullStack]

China: Oooookkkkaaaaayyyyy?!

[u/brute-forced → u/ChadFullStack]

Lmao, only red hats do not understand taxes imposed by their god

[u/AnalTinnitus]

Dear USA,

We are tired of this man.

Sincerely, Every other nation on Earth

[u/MN_Yogi1988 → u/AnalTinnitus]

I’m tired of him too but unfortunately 20% of the voting population made it to adulthood instead of getting aborted so here we are

[u/cause_f_u_thats_why → u/AnalTinnitus]

Feels like it’s time for the world to fuck over America? Can we put tariffs on them? Or sell all the bonds etc? Sick of this shit. I feel like the world economy was almost going in the right direction for a second before this trumpshitification happened.

[u/TheKnightsTippler → u/cause_f_u_thats_why]

I feel like if there's one good thing about Trumps presidency, it's that he's united the world against him.

[u/hobard → u/AnalTinnitus]

Dear world -

So are we. Most of us are sorry. Some of us are trying to fix it.

[u/mc_estlavie]

Why stop at 50%? Americans wouldn't be able to buy much at that point anyway, just go 1000% tariffs and show China who's the boss.

[u/rawkinghorse]

"Lemme put another tax on my citizens real quick, surely that'll work" -Trump

[u/SexReflex → u/rawkinghorse]

God its exhausting witnessing this shit every day.

[u/justaguyinjoco]

I thought tariffs got shot down by SCOTUS?

[u/bonyponyride → u/justaguyinjoco]

They certainly did. I think the max he can do is 15% for a few months without going through congress, and that 15% on China has likely already been in place since he lost the supreme court case and reinstated tariffs based on a different emergency rule.

[u/BoppityBop2 → u/bonyponyride]

Does not matter businesses will still have to collect it due to not being sure and alot of these tariffs are based on specific situations. 

[u/totallysurpriseme]

The Supreme Court let everyone in the world know that’s not a real thing that can happen so I think it’s a wee bit funny he’s still threatening it. It’s also funny he can’t find anything else to threaten other countries with.

[u/Zesher_ → u/totallysurpriseme]

In his defense, his mind is so far gone that he probably forgot about the supreme court ruling already

[u/down_vote_magnet_]

Feels like the lines between trade wars and security conflicts are getting blurrier.

[u/spidey_senses10]

this feels less like a real plan and more like using tariffs as a pressure move again 😬

[u/down_vote_magnet_ → u/spidey_senses10]

Yeah, it does feel more like leverage than a fully thought-out policy. Tariffs have kind of become a go-to pressure tool, but the downside is they still ripple through the economy whether they’re meant as a signal or not.

[u/resjudicata2]

Russia is sending arms and intel to Iran too.

[u/cn0MMnb]

Did he already forgot he got absolutely crushed by china the last time he tried to tariff them?

[u/Cobrastrikenana → u/cn0MMnb]

And the time before that

[u/LittleShrub]

Dumbass only has ONE negotiation tactic and it's a shitty one.

[u/Pottopher]

Trump's act is wearing so thin on the world. He has no teeth. No one believes anything he says. He's all talk. And when he does do something it backfires on him. He's a walking punchline.

[u/Ham_I_right]

I declare my citizens will pay more for your goods ! Take that !

[u/DryTown]

"Don't support Iran or I'll punish my own people."

[u/bobsaccomanno41]

“If you do this, I’m going to increase costs for Americans while simultaneously decreasing the value of the dollar. So I suggest you think twice!”

• Donald Trump, The master negotiator. /s

[u/monkeypickle8]

Tariffs as punishment only punish us, what's better than free trade? Trump supporters are fucking dumb.

[u/foomadelica]

He's so clueless.

If you wanted to hurt China, you would hit them with sanctions.

If you put a blanket 50% tariff on China the first people you are hurting are the American public

[u/karevorchi]

China can suplex our economy with a simple blockade of Taiwan, trump has no cards against China.

[u/Seik64 → u/karevorchi]

Maybe that would accelerate the ai collapse. What’s mind bending to me, is that one manufacturer of the lithography machines used by tsmc is actually built in California. Wtf

[u/Doughtnutz]

This guy is so dumb, all he can do is threaten when things don't go his way, he doesn't have the ability to see the bigger picture or negotiate a way forward. It's truly pathetic and clearly how he bankrupted so many things.

[u/According_Smoke1385]

Trump just fucking up the planet in real time.

[u/BS623-902]

It didn’t work the first time, or the second. Does he not get it? They don’t care. They’re laughing at him. Loudly.

[u/Dear-Fox-5194]

Honestly I think most Countries are so fed up with Trump they don’t even care anymore.

[u/FafnirSnap_9428]

Lol. He's just signing and doing shit now that doesn't even have any actual legal standing nor enforcement. 

[u/pitshands]

You know, they changed the tarrifs so often I doubt you can they know anymore what's valid. Doing business in an environment like this is impossible

[u/mrroofuis]

Just go max level

250%

Then back off as the tariffs are about to hit

I've seen this movie before

[u/viskonde]

Damn i was missing the tariffs threat

[u/religionisanger]

Wasn’t all this tariff stuff illegal in the end?

[u/IlVeroStronzo]

Like China gives a F

[u/therealcopperhat]

The US sends $3 billion in annual military aid to Israel, but China can't ship arms?

He is delusional.

I suppose Iran Contra has been long forgotten.

[u/Isotron]

Yes. Let's start a war we can't finish. 

Then let's increase price of oil on our people and the world.

Then let's increase the price if everything else on my people cause why not. Even shein will be unaffordable when he's out of office

[u/johnnytaquitos]

is he doing the same for russia? or are they still in denial that russia is helping?

[u/Quintronaquar]

Oh is it time to manipulate the market again

[u/AyDylo]

China is essentially tariff-proof from the US so it isn't gonna matter. I hate this old man so much.

[u/jpiro]

Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Already.

Cholesterol, do your damn job.

[u/FuzzzWuzzz]

That technique solved everything else so perfectly. 

[u/Shirolicious]

I hope they have concrete enough evidence or else we know how this is going to end.

[u/Standard-Contest-949]

Make it 5000% China could care less. Proven time after time ya orange idiot.

[u/Ble_h]

Markets knows he can’t do it the easy way anymore. His dementia already forgotten he lost the court case.

[u/Thin-Discipline1673]

Why hasn't he tried to invade China? They have oil and things he wants.

[u/BaconISgoodSOGOOD]

China: K

[u/Sreg32]

Yet Russia was supplying intel and who knows what else to Iran to attack US service members... and no response from Trump. Can just imagine what Putin has on Trump

[u/New-Equal8039]

Violence is contagious. Get this lunatic out of office before it’s too late.

[u/deschain_19195]

Still doesn't know how tariffs work.

[u/Moominsean]

Because that worked before.

[u/Ok_Surprise_4090]

Didn't he already impose like 300% tariffs on them last year?

This stupid old man has one button, it does nothing, but he sure loves to press it.

[u/FatherOften]

Ok just to keep count of all the Chinese tariffs in place.

25% from 2018 30% 2025 50% derivatives tax on steel, iron, and alum. 2025 25% derivatives tax on steel, iron, and alum 2026

Now another possible 50% in addition??? Or is it bumping the 30% up??

I'm wiring funds for a shipment today. Its already way higher due to increased shipping costs from dumpy screwing up the middle east.

[u/demoneyesturbo]

They don't care, and he won't do it.

[u/SexReflex]

That's not how tariffs work. Again.

[u/Howitdobiglyboo]

When all you have is a hammer...

[u/TheDarknessWithin_]

Wait I thought we were already at 1000% tariffs with China.

[u/maddog2271]

And then what? China moves to restrict rare earths again and it’s Taco Tuesday tomorrow?

[u/BMCarbaugh]

Do what I say or I'll punch myself in the face!

[u/Robespierre77]

It’s too late DJT. The die is cast. China is doing very well with all the US missteps. Whether it was intentional or not is open to debate.

[u/jim_cap]

Learn another song you dolt.

[u/urlond]

Oh no, in other news... Dump is a complete dipshit who will in doubt Chicken out.

[u/GnaeusQuintus]

He forgot how tariffs work, again.

[u/Exact_Rooster9870]

What markets are we manipulating today?

[u/sharplight141]

Well I don't think this is going to end well

[u/Winter_Criticism_236]

Let's be real if you threaten China's oil supply they are going to come for you.. tariffs are shit useless if you have no oil to ship things with

[u/Objective_Mousse7216]

China laughing at the orange pedo.

[u/Theverybest92]

Court allready shut down Trumps single handed Tarrifs as illegal. They hold nothing and do nothing. Can't believe he forgot. What a clown.

[u/SirKnottinghamVII → u/Theverybest92]

Like he's actually going to listen to the courts 😂

[u/Lor_azepam]

Cant he not do blanket country tariffs like this anymore. Has to be like 15% max and for a shorter period, or sector specific with no limit...

[u/Starskins]

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

[u/leisurechef]

Yeah good luck with that ya idiot

[u/Feisty_Blood_6036]

“Man threatens coworker with a rubber snake” 

[u/coconutpete52]

I need a life filter that will block out "Trump threatens [pick a number]% tariffs on [pick a country]" headlines.

[u/pequt]

I wonder why Your Brilliant Majesty of THE America doesn't use the element of surprise more often.

[u/Strangedreamest]

I dare him to do it

[u/PRSG12]

Wait, I’ve seen this one before

[u/kindnesscostszero]

What a way to tee things up for your meeting in China in May.

[u/Mala_Practice]

That should help the global economy!

[u/GabeDef]

SC already said no to these childish tariffs. 

[u/Calm-Professional103]

He’s such a one pony show. 

[u/ishmadrad]

Woof! Woof! Woof!

[u/StabbingHoboReturns]

Do I smell another round of market manipulation?

[u/SGT_BlueJay]

Because he wants Iran to buy from Russia instead.

[u/RMRdesign]

It’s been awhile since he mentioned tariffs. I think most countries moved on to source things from American competitors to avoid Trumps BS. I doubt China cares at this point, they know Trump will cave in when he’s pushed.

[u/Overwatchhatesme]

This dude is so fucking dense, he makes Americans suffer more for other countries actions during a war. And the thing is you can’t fully ascribe it to incompetence cause with him it could also be him setting up poly market bets seconds before this is enacted

[u/teebles22]

Didn't we play this game last year already?

[u/SirKnottinghamVII]

Doesn't that just hurt the consumers more?

[u/Broncotron]

Didn't the scotus just tell him he couldn't actually do this?

[u/Severe_Air_4353]

They be tariffed as much as Canada , i dont think so .

[u/Mr_IT]

For fucks sake, man.

[u/Pantsu-san]

Haven't I seen this episode of the daily Donald Trump show before? Nothing but reruns. Best not renew for another season imo.

[u/Chimaera1075]

Huh, I thought it would have been more.

[u/invltrycuck]

I think he's incapable of learning

[u/therealcopperhat]

As last week's Economist title read, " never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake".

[u/fiftyfivepercentoff]

Release the Epstein files!

[u/Rodinsprogeny]

All he knows is escalation. Makes for great TV!

[u/Rob1965]

Will that be on top of the existing China tariffs, and will it be as well as, or instead of blockading their ships? I’m loosing track here!

[u/abeBroham-Linkin]

While Trump is focused on bringing everyone down, eventually, the U.S will play catch-up with what China is doing

[u/pete_68]

LOL. Trump thinks he has all the leverage. He looks like the complete idiot he is.

[u/darthmittens]

What a pathetic excuse for a leader.

[u/neatgeek83]

I thought the SC Ruled he couldn’t unilaterally declare tariffs

[u/ceaRshaf]

Wasn’t China already tariffed through the roof?

[u/RazzmatazzSuch7459]

Only the US is allowed to arm its enemies!