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Trump Said the China Trade Deal Was “Done” and Cited 55% Tariffs—What It Meant

Trump called the China trade framework “done” on June 11, 2025, subject to approval by both presidents. The 55% figure was a combined total, not a new flat tariff announced in London.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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On June 11, 2025, Donald Trump called a U.S.-China trade framework “done,” but said it still needed final approval from him and Chinese President Xi Jinping. His “55%” figure was described by a White House official as a combined total of existing and then-current tariff components—not a new, flat 55-percentage-point tariff imposed by the London talks.

What Trump announced on June 11, 2025

After two days of U.S.-China negotiations in London, Trump posted: “Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me.” ABC News reported that he also said, “We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%.”

The qualification matters: Trump presented the deal as done while explicitly reserving final approval for himself and Xi. The day before, the Associated Press described the result as a framework, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called it a “handshake for a framework,” as reported by ABC News. The public descriptions did not amount to a detailed, publicly released final agreement.

Trump said China would supply magnets and necessary rare earths up front, while the United States would provide what had been agreed, including access for Chinese students to U.S. colleges and universities. These were elements of the announced framework, not evidence that every term had already been implemented.

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What the 55% tariff figure included

A White House official told Reuters, in a June 11, 2025 report carried by Kitco News, that Trump’s 55% figure combined three tariff components:

Component Rate in the official’s explanation What it represented
Baseline “reciprocal” tariff 10% The baseline reciprocal tariff component described by the official.
China-related fentanyl duties 20% Duties associated with fentanyl, as described in the official’s breakdown.
Pre-existing tariffs 25% Tariffs dating from Trump’s first term.
Combined total cited by Trump 55% The sum of those components, not a new 55-point increase announced in London.

This was the White House official’s explanation of Trump’s headline number at that time. It should not be read as a single tariff created by the June meeting or as a guaranteed rate for every Chinese product: the components arose under different tariff measures, and product-specific treatment can differ.

Was the China trade deal actually final?

Not on the terms announced that day. Trump said final approval by both presidents was still required, and contemporaneous reporting characterized the London result as a framework rather than a publicly detailed final text. The June announcement therefore supports saying that negotiators reached a framework and Trump called it “done subject to final approval”; it does not support describing the London announcement itself as a fully approved, implemented agreement.

The bilateral process continued after June 2025. Later announcements and tariff actions are separate developments, not terms that should be retroactively attributed to the London framework.

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How the tariff picture changed after June 2025

Date Reported action or development What it does—and does not—establish
November 4, 2025 Executive Order 14358 suspended heightened reciprocal duties on Chinese goods and applied an additional 10% reciprocal duty during the suspension. The order describes that reciprocal-duty measure. It does not by itself establish the total tariff on a particular shipment; separate tariff authorities and product-level measures may apply.
May 2026 The White House and USTR announced further commitments, including an initial purchase of 200 U.S.-made Boeing aircraft, measures addressing rare-earth supply concerns, and Chinese purchases of at least $17 billion per year in U.S. agricultural products for 2026 (prorated), 2027, and 2028. These were later commitments, not part of the June 2025 framework as announced.
September 2026 The Associated Press reported reciprocal lists of nonsensitive goods for tariff cuts. It said more than 90% of products on the lists would face most-favored-nation rates, which vary by item, and reported that the broader trade-truce extension ran to January. The described arrangement did not cover strategic sectors such as chips, electric vehicles, and batteries. The report concerns listed nonsensitive products, not every Chinese import. It does not establish one rate for all goods or sectors.

The USTR’s Presidential Tariff Actions index, accessed October 8, 2026, lists later China-related actions, including developments after the June announcement. The June 2025 headline is historical; it is not a current, universal tariff schedule.

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What is the current U.S. tariff on Chinese goods?

There is no single rate that can be inferred for every Chinese product from Trump’s 55% statement, the November 2025 order, or the September 2026 lists. Rates may depend on the product and on separate tariff measures or product-specific treatment. The November order’s additional 10% reciprocal duty during the suspension of heightened duties is one measure, not necessarily the total due on an import.

For a particular shipment, the relevant rate must be checked against the current official measures and the product’s classification and treatment. A headline percentage alone is not enough to determine the duty owed.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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