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He screwed up.

I thought there was some bigger plan behind the whole thing

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.