Trump signals some regret on China trade war

President Donald Trump signaled regret Sunday for an escalating trade war with China, as he faces a tense reception from world leaders meeting amid mounting anxiety of a global economic slowdown at the Group of Seven summit in France.

Trump is trying to use the conference to rally global leaders to do more to stimulate their economies, as fears rise of a potential slowdown in the U.S. ahead of his reelection. But Trump's counterparts, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are trying to convince him to back off his trade wars with China and other countries, which they see as contributing to the economic weakening.

The meetings come days after President Donald Trump escalated his trade war with China, following China's announcement Friday that it would slap new tariffs on USD 75 billion in American goods. Trump responded with more tariffs of his own and issued an extraordinary threat to declare a national emergency in an attempt to force US businesses to cut ties with China.

But Sunday, during a breakfast meeting with Johnson, Trump suggested he has qualms about the spiraling conflict. "Yeah. For sure," Trump told reporters when asked if he has second thoughts about escalating the trade dispute, adding he has "second thoughts about everything."
He cited China's theft of intellectual property and the large US trade deficit with China, saying "in many ways that's an emergency."
Trump disputed reports Sunday of tensions with other G7 leaders, saying in a Sunday morning tweet that, "The Leaders are getting along very well."