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There probably was, but he screwed up. He wanted the tariffs to bully other countries into lowering theirs, but China called his bluff.

I heard Xi said to him that China has been there for 5,000 years and will be there for 5,000 more. I don't like Xi, but that was a good comeback! lol

Yeah, he definitely overestimated his ability to make a fully communist country do what he wants.