U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at China on Thursday, criticizing its refusal to accept aircraft from Boeing (BA, Financial), calling it another example of what he sees as unfair treatment in the ongoing trade standoff between the two countries.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump urged Boeing to “default” China for not accepting aircraft it had previously agreed to purchase. He also linked the issue to broader grievances, including the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., which he claimed is coming through Mexico and Canada from China.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed in an interview with CNBC that some 737 Max planes originally intended for China are now being rerouted to the U.S., citing trade-related tensions as the cause for halted deliveries.
Tariffs remain a flashpoint. The U.S. recently imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports. While the administration temporarily lowered tariffs to 10% for other trade partners, it hiked levies on Chinese goods by 125% earlier this week—on top of an existing 20%.
Trump acknowledged the steep increase but left the door open for future talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, that idea was shut down by Beijing. On Wednesday, China's Commerce Ministry said no negotiations are underway and dismissed recent U.S. claims as baseless, according to the Associated Press.
