Donald backs down on global trade war – lowering his tariffs (higher than the baseline 10%) on countries that did not retaliate against the levies. The US president announced via social media that there would be a 90-day pause on those tariffs and they would instead be dropped to the blanket 10% rate. But since China did retaliate, Trump announced that the tariffs on China would be hiked to 125%.
Much of the global media sees the announcement of Trump backing down from the trade war he started, likely amid US government bond sell-offs.
Trump backs down on global trade war but hikes tariffs for China
Trump blinks first in trade war
Explainer: This headline uses bold, combative language to frame the narrative in dramatic terms. The phrase “blinks first” borrows from the language of standoffs or high-stakes games, suggesting weakness or concession, and casting Trump as the one who backed down. Referring to the situation as a “trade war” amplifies tension and conflict, making economic policy sound like a battlefield. This framing simplifies complex negotiations into a winner-loser dynamic — a common journalistic tactic to create drama and clear-cut narratives in political reporting.
- The Daily Telegraph sums up the pause as “Trump blinks first”, noting that the US stocks bounced back following Trump’s announcement of a 90-day pause.
Erratic Trump’s new gamble: Great war of China
Explainer: This headline is highly sensational and heavily loaded with bias. Describing Trump as “erratic” is an overt character judgment, setting a critical tone from the outset. The phrase “new gamble” suggests recklessness or impulsiveness, reinforcing the idea of unpredictability. “Great war of China” dramatically inflates the stakes, invoking images of large-scale conflict, despite likely referring to economic or diplomatic tensions. The overall effect is to paint Trump as dangerously unpredictable while using exaggerated language to heighten fear and urgency — a clear example of emotionally charged, agenda-driven framing.
- The Daily Mirror reports “Great war of China” and shows an image of Donald Trump flexing his muscles. The paper notes that, whilst hitting China with a 125% levy, the 90-day pause is a massive “climbdown.” It says the move is “erratic” and a “new gamble”.
Trump blinks … but doubles down on China
Explainer: This headline uses contradictory, attention-grabbing language to create drama and maintain tension. The phrase “Trump blinks” implies a moment of weakness or concession, while “doubles down on China” immediately reverses that impression, suggesting renewed aggression or defiance. This juxtaposition fuels a narrative of unpredictability and confrontation, portraying Trump as both reactive and combative. It’s a classic journalistic tactic: using ambiguity and contrast to hook readers and emphasise conflict, particularly in the context of complex international relations.
- The Daily Mail says, “Trump blinks”, adding the US president has doubled “down on China” after a week of stock market turmoil, global tariffs and the escalating trade war with China.
Stocks soar as Trump presses tariffs pause button and hits China harder
Explainer: This headline uses a mix of optimistic and combative language to create a dynamic, attention-grabbing narrative. The phrase “stocks soar” presents a positive, almost celebratory tone, suggesting financial success or relief, while “presses tariffs pause button” implies a temporary reprieve or tactical move. However, the phrase “hits China harder” sharply contrasts the earlier optimism, injecting aggression and conflict into the story. This framing combines economic hope with political tension, using polarising language to stir interest and amplify the stakes of the trade war, a common tactic to simplify a complex issue and evoke strong reactions.
- Business newspaper, The Financial Times, asks “What lies behind the bond sell-off?”. The paper says that bond prices plunged this week “amid signs of poor demand at a Treasury action.”
Trump risks great maul of China
Explainer: This headline uses dramatic and provocative language to create a sense of imminent danger and conflict. The phrase “risks” suggests recklessness or danger, setting the tone for potential negative consequences. The term “great maul” is highly sensational, evoking imagery of violent or overwhelming action, amplifying the perceived threat to China. This combination of risk and aggression serves to portray Trump’s actions as both reckless and intense, a common tactic to evoke fear and drama in political reporting while simplifying complex economic or diplomatic moves into a stark, confrontational narrative.
- Metro looks at China’s likely response to the latest from the White House, saying that Beijing will “never accept this bullying” after Trump hit them with a “shock 125% tariff on Chinese imports” and mocked leaders who are “kissing my ass to negotiate deals.”
Trump pauses global trade war but hits China with 125% tariffs
Explainer: This headline blends a momentary pause with a bold, aggressive action, creating a sense of tension and unpredictability. The phrase “pauses global trade war” suggests a temporary relief, potentially offering hope or stability. However, this is immediately undermined by the dramatic “hits China with 125% tariffs,” which adds an extreme and combative element to the story. The contrast between a pause and such a severe action amplifies the volatility of Trump’s approach, using polarising language to highlight unpredictability and intensify the stakes in global trade relations.
- The Guardian says Trump’s row-back comes after days of “market turmoil and recession warnings.”
Trump backs down in global tariff war – but targets China with 125% rate
Explainer: This headline uses contradictory language to create tension and intrigue. The phrase “Trump backs down” suggests a moment of concession or weakness, implying that Trump is retreating in the larger “global tariff war.” However, this is immediately countered by “targets China with 125% rate,” which presents a more aggressive, defiant stance. The contrast between backing down and intensifying action against China creates a sense of unpredictability and conflict, using sharp, polarising language to evoke drama and maintain reader interest in the ongoing trade dispute.
- The i newspaper reports that the trade war could impact supply and push up prices of weight loss drugs in the UK.
Trump puts the brakes on tariffs for 90 days
Explainer: This headline uses a calm, almost cautious tone with “puts the brakes on tariffs,” implying a temporary pause or slowing down of a contentious policy. The phrase “for 90 days” adds a sense of time-limited relief, suggesting the action is short-term rather than permanent. While the wording itself is less sensational, it still creates a subtle tension by framing the move as a deliberate, controlled decision to halt progress — which could indicate a tactical shift or momentary break in the ongoing trade conflict. The focus on a limited time frame serves to create anticipation for what may follow.
- The Times reports that Trump wants “fair deals with everyone” as he “dramatically” backed down over tariffs “less than a day after they came into force.”
Trump U-turns with 90-day tariffs pause except for China
Explainer: This headline uses strong, dramatic language to highlight a significant policy shift. The phrase “Trump U-turns” implies a sudden, unexpected reversal, suggesting inconsistency or a lack of direction, which paints Trump’s decision as unpredictable. “90-day tariffs pause” offers a temporary reprieve, but this is immediately undercut by “except for China,” which introduces a continued area of tension, maintaining focus on the conflict.
- The Independent suggests that whilst halting higher import fees for the countries that did not retaliate in the trade war, Trump has escalated the “tit-for-tat” measures against Beijing. The blanket 10% levy remains in place for all affected countries (including the UK).
