- Trump signed a last-minute executive order to extend the U.S.–China tariff pause for another 90 days.
- Without the order, tariffs would have jumped back to April’s trade war levels.
- The extension follows Stockholm trade talks and mirrors a similar 90-day pause agreed in May.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order granting a fresh 90-day extension on the pause of high U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods — a move that landed just hours before the deadline was set to expire. According to a White House official, the decision came late Monday, narrowly avoiding an immediate snapback of duties that could’ve reignited tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
The order follows the latest round of U.S.–China trade talks in Stockholm, Sweden, held late last month. Negotiators had been working toward keeping tariffs in check after months of back-and-forth, with this outcome largely anticipated in policy circles. Had the extension not been signed, tariffs would have reverted to the steep levels imposed back in April, during the peak of the trade war.
Background on the Tariff Pause
This isn’t the first time the two sides have put a pin in their escalating trade measures. Back in May, after a meeting in Geneva, both nations agreed to suspend the bulk of tariffs for a 90-day period, offering breathing room for further discussions. That original pause was due to end Tuesday — a deadline that would have triggered a sharp economic jolt had it passed without action.
Trump’s signature on this latest order essentially resets the clock, providing negotiators more time to explore longer-term solutions while sidestepping an immediate market shock.
