Leavitt Confirms Tariffs on China, Says Trump-Xi Call Will Happen “Very Soon”
Washington DC, February 5: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday addressed key issues, including US tariffs on China and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington.
US Tariffs on China & Potential Trump-Xi Call
When asked about President Donald Trump’s potential conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Leavitt responded, “I don’t have any updates on when that call will take place,” but confirmed that it is being scheduled and will happen very soon.
Leavitt defended the 10 per cent tariff on China, stating that it was a direct retaliatory measure aimed at countering China’s role in the fentanyl crisis in the United States.
“The President made it very clear with the 10 per cent tariff on China that he is not going to allow China to continue to source and distribute deadly fentanyl into our country. That was the reason for this tariff. It was a retaliatory tariff on China for the last four years of their unprecedented distribution of fentanyl to our nation’s border,” she said.
Canada’s Border Plan to Combat Fentanyl Trade
Leavitt’s comments came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled “Canada’s Border Plan”, an initiative aimed at tackling the fentanyl trade.
Trudeau announced that the plan would involve:
✅ Deploying thousands more frontline personnel to the border
✅ Launching a precursor chemical detection unit
✅ Establishing a new drug profiling center
The announcement followed US President Donald Trump’s statement that Canada would implement a USD 1.3 billion border plan to prevent fentanyl from entering the United States. Trump said that in return, he would pause tariffs on Canadian goods for 30 days after the plan was implemented.
Netanyahu’s Visit to the White House
Leavitt also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, calling it a significant event.
“The fact that this is the first working visit from a foreign leader here at the White House shows that President Trump will continue to stand strongly with Israel and he has wholeheartedly committed to ensuring all of the hostages return home and standing with our Israeli allies,” she stated.
Before his arrival in the US, Netanyahu released a statement outlining his agenda for the meeting with Trump.
“In this meeting, we’ll deal with important issues, critical issues facing Israel and our region: victory over Hamas, achieving the release of all our hostages, and dealing with the Iranian terror axis in all its components—an axis that threatens the peace of Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world,” the Israeli PM’s Office said.
Netanyahu emphasized the transformational impact of Israel’s military decisions, stating:
“The decisions we made in the war have already changed the face of the Middle East. Our decisions and the courage of our soldiers have redrawn the map. But I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further and for the better.”
Ongoing Diplomatic & Trade Negotiations
The US administration is currently balancing high-stakes diplomacy with China, Israel, and its North American allies. As the Trump-Xi call approaches and Netanyahu’s visit unfolds, the White House continues to push its economic and security priorities on the global stage.