Trump's Tariff Prescription: A Dose of Protectionism for the Economy

Trump Says He's Not Backing Down on Tariffs, Calls Them 'Medicine' as Markets Reel

By Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post

April 6, 2025

President Donald Trump on Monday refused to back down on his threat to impose tariffs on Chinese goods, saying the measure is necessary medicine to fix the trade imbalance between the two countries.

"We're not backing down," Trump said during a meeting with leaders from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors at the White House. "We're going to do what's necessary to fix this trade deficit. It's not good for our country, it's not good for our workers."

The president's comments came as the Dow Jones industrial average plummeted nearly 300 points in the wake of his announcement last week that the United States would impose tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. The tariffs, which are set to take effect in the coming weeks, are aimed at forcing China to reduce its trade surplus with the United States.

China has vowed to retaliate against the tariffs, which could lead to a trade war between the two countries. The move has also sparked concerns among business leaders and lawmakers about the potential impact on the U.S. economy.

But Trump said he is willing to take that risk in order to address what he sees as a fundamental imbalance in the trade relationship between the two countries.

"We're not going to let China take advantage of us anymore," Trump said. "We're going to make them play by the rules, just like we do."

The president's comments were met with skepticism by some of the business leaders and lawmakers in attendance at the meeting.

"I understand the president's frustration, but I think this is a very misguided approach," said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. "We're going to end up hurting our own economy and our own workers."

Despite the concerns, Trump seemed undeterred, saying that the tariffs are necessary to protect American jobs and industries.

"This is medicine, folks," Trump said. "And sometimes medicine is not pleasant, but it's necessary to get the patient well."