President Donald Trump said he was open to continuing the collection of tariffs on Chinese imports. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo Trade Trump: U.S. could extend tariff deadline on China if deal is close

President Donald Trump suggested that he could extend a March 1 deadline for raising tariffs on China, softening comments he and his Cabinet members have made about a drop-dead date.

“If we‘re close to a deal where we think we can make a real deal and it’s going to get done, I could see myself letting that slide for a little while,” Trump told reporters at the White House Tuesday. “But generally speaking, I’m not inclined to do that.”


Trump said he was open to continuing the collection of tariffs on Chinese imports. The U.S. has imposed a 10 percent tariff on about $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, which the administration has said it will increase to 25 percent if China doesn’t carry through on a litany of changes the U.S. is pressing.

Another $50 billion worth of imports are currently hit with a 25 percent tariff.

“I could live with receiving billions and billions of dollars per month from China,” he said, repeating the claim that China is paying the tariffs rather than the reality that U.S. companies that import the goods have to absorb or pass along the costs to customers. “China never gave us 10 cents. It was always the opposite way. Now they’re paying billions of dollars a month for the privilege of coming into the United States and honestly taking advantage of our country.“

Trump acknowledged last week that a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping will likely take place after the March 1 deadline. News reports have suggested that such a meeting could take place in mid- or late March, either in China or at Mar-a-Lago.

“At some point I’d like to meet with President Xi, who I have a lot of respect for and like a lot and make the parts of the deal that the group is unable to make,” Trump said Tuesday. “That’s the way deals happen.“