trumps ultimate goal is not tariffs set in stone, but to actually get the other side to remove theirs(stop them charging a bully hall pass)
but it requires the negotiator to have the upper hand and not give in to bullies
The US does not have the upper hand. China saw that all it needs for Trump to cave in is to wait a day or two for the stock market to drop. So they can ratchet retaliatory tariffs to 500%, Trump will obediently respond, and then will declare victory by revoking the stupid shit he did himself. Just one of many ways this can play out without any benefit for the US. At the expense of everyone paying a 10% federal sales tax, we love new taxes don't we.