During his trip from Florida to Washington on Air Force One, President Donald Trump made a statement to reporters regarding the decline in markets following the new customs duties he imposed on 185 countries. Responding to a journalist’s question about whether there is a pain threshold he wouldn’t tolerate in the markets, Trump said, “I think your question is very stupid. I don’t want anything to go wrong, but sometimes you need to take medicine to fix something.”

Trump emphasized the need to address the trade deficit issue with China, stating that the trade deficit with China is in the trillions, while the deficit with other countries is in the billions. He expressed readiness to negotiate with China, the European Union (EU), and other countries to solve the trade deficit issue, but made it clear that a solution must first be reached on this matter. Trump also mentioned that he has had discussions with leaders from various regions around the world and that they are eager to reach a deal.

Moreover, Trump shared on his Truth Social media account that the significant financial deficits with China, the EU, and many other countries still persist. He underlined that the tariffs currently in place which are generating billions of dollars for the U.S. are the only way to remedy this issue. Trump criticized the trade deficit increase with these countries during the previous administration under President Joe Biden and expressed his determination to swiftly reverse this trend, emphasizing that one day people will understand that tariffs are beneficial for the U.S.