'I haven’t stopped there': Trump hits India on trade, then gives China a 90-day tariff break

President Donald Trump extended the U.S.-China tariff truce by 90 days on Monday just hours after touting his hardline stance on India, declaring, “No one else would have been so tough, and I haven’t stopped there.”

The move staves off steep triple-digit duties as American retailers brace for the critical holiday shopping season. Trump signed the executive order delaying the tariff hike until mid-November, shortly after telling reporters at a press conference, “We’ll see what happens,” when asked if lower tariffs would remain.

The delay keeps U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports at 30%, instead of rising to 145%. Chinese duties, which were set to spike to 125%, hold at 10%. Without the extension, both nations risked what officials have called a virtual trade embargo.

Yet even as Trump held back on China, he sharpened his rhetoric on India—using it as a foil to highlight his trade toughness, even while softening his approach toward Beijing.

“It wouldn’t be a Trump-style negotiation if it didn’t go right down to the wire,” said Kelly Ann Shaw, a former senior White House trade official, now with Akin Gump. She said Trump likely used the delay as leverage for further concessions.

Over the weekend, Trump demanded China quadruple its U.S. soybean purchases—though there’s no indication Beijing agreed. Last week, he told CNBC the U.S. and China were “getting very close” to a deal and said he would meet with Xi Jinping before year’s end if progress continues.

Talks in Geneva and Stockholm earlier this summer laid the foundation for the extension. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned that the triple-digit tariffs were unsustainable.

Ryan Majerus, a former U.S. trade official, said the delay “will undoubtedly lower anxiety” as both sides work toward a potential deal.

Despite the rhetoric, no formal announcement was made. Treasury and U.S. Trade Representative officials declined comment.