Trump: China trade deal likely; automakers can avoid tariffs with U.S. plants

President Trump told Fox Business Network in an interview airing Friday that his administration was “very close” to a trade deal with China.

“I think a lot of people are waiting for the deal with China. I think that’s going to have a very big impact,” he said in an interview with host Maria Bartiromo. 

{mosads}“As to whether or not it makes it, I think it will. I think we’re getting very close,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we get there, but I think we’re getting very close.”

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2019

Trump also slammed the European Union, saying that in terms of trade, it treats the U.S. “as badly as China.”

The president encouraged automakers to manufacture vehicles in the U.S.

“I’ll tell you what the endgame is: They’ll build their plants in the United States, then they have no tariffs,” he said. 

“They have a lot of very good cars that come in and they make them here, I want them to make them here,” he added.  

The administration is in talks with China about trade following an escalating trade war last year. The nations decided to temporarily put the trade war on hold in December, and Trump announced last month that he would further delay the deadline for an agreement, but some are concerned a deal won’t be reached.