Key Takeaways

  • President Trump's recent call with Chinese President Xi Jinping focused almost entirely on trade issues, according to a Truth Social post.
  • The conversation comes just after the Trump administration set a June 4 deadline for countries to submit trade offers amid an escalating global trade dispute.
  • Trump's communication style continues to rely heavily on social media, with over 2,100 Truth Social posts since returning to office.

Trade Talks Take Center Stage

President Trump's long-awaited phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday centered squarely on trade disputes between the world's two largest economies. The discussion occurred against the backdrop of looming tariff deadlines, with the White House giving trading partners until Wednesday to submit their best offers for new agreements.

"The conversation was focused almost entirely on trade," Trump wrote on Truth Social, his preferred platform for policy announcements. This marks the first known direct communication between the two leaders in weeks, despite Trump's previous claims that his personal relationship with Xi would help resolve trade tensions.

Deadline Pressure Mounts

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative recently sent letters to trading partners as what one administration official called a "friendly reminder" about the approaching deadline. The 90-day pause on new country-specific tariff rates is set to expire in mid-July, creating urgency for negotiations.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the administration is "on track" to make nation-specific deals, though she acknowledged they wouldn't have capacity to negotiate with every affected country. The administration's aggressive trade stance has drawn criticism from some quarters as an "unprovoked trade war with China (and most of the world)."

Communication Through Social Media

Trump's approach to diplomacy continues to break with tradition, with the president making policy announcements and conducting foreign relations largely through social media. Since returning to office in January 2025, he's averaged about 17 Truth Social posts daily - totaling 2,145 original posts.

The platform has served as Trump's megaphone for everything from personnel changes to trade initiatives. His mixed feelings about the Chinese leader were evident in a recent post: "I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!"

What Comes Next

With the tariff pause expiration looming, markets are watching closely for signs of progress in U.S.-China relations. The two nations remain at odds over critical minerals, jet engine parts, and computer chips, among other trade flashpoints.

The call with Xi follows Trump's recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine, which the president described as unlikely to yield "immediate Peace." As trade negotiations intensify in coming weeks, Trump's unconventional diplomacy will face its toughest test yet.