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Trump Addresses Market Turbulence Amid Ongoing Trade Disputes
President Donald Trump commented on the current stock market volatility during an interview on Air Force One, asserting he is not deliberately inducing the ongoing downturn. However, his remarks provided little reassurance regarding the market’s instability.
“I don’t want anything to go down, but sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” Trump stated in response to questions from reporters about the stock market’s direction.
This statement coincided with a significant drop in U.S. stock futures on Sunday evening, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures plummeting by 4.1%. This trend followed several days of declining stock prices, suggesting that further losses might be anticipated in the trading session to come on Monday.
Trump pointed to the trade deficit with China as a key factor motivating his ongoing tariff strategy. “We have to solve our trade deficit with China,” he declared. “It’s a trillion-dollar trade deficit, and we lose hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Unless this issue is addressed, I’m not inclined to negotiate a deal.”
“I’m open to negotiations with China,” he added, “but they need to address their surplus.” This insistence on renegotiating trade terms reflects Trump’s broader economic strategy.
In addition, Trump mentioned his recent discussions with leaders from Europe and Asia about the tariffs his administration plans to impose, which are expected to come into effect shortly.
The administration’s commitment to its tariff agenda was reinforced by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who emphasized that the government would maintain its position on reciprocal tariffs despite the market’s decline. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett also indicated that the stock market’s downturn was not part of a deliberate plan by the administration.
Trump’s comments take on added significance in light of a recent video he shared on his Truth Social account, which suggested he was intentionally driving down market values as part of a larger economic strategy. This video, which originally surfaced on TikTok in March, was reposted by Trump shortly after announcing new tariffs on April 4.
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