2018-03-08
: Trump Signs Section 232 Steel & Aluminum Tariffs — President Trump imposes 25% tariffs on steel and 10% on aluminum imports, citing national-security concerns under Section 232.
2018-07-06
: Section 301 Tariffs on $34 Billion of Chinese Goods Take Effect — The US imposes 25% tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese imports, and China retaliates immediately — the trade war begins.
2019-05-16
: Huawei Blacklisted — Tech War Escalates — The US Commerce Department adds Huawei to its Entity List, banning American companies from supplying it without a license.
2020-01-15
: Phase One Trade Deal Signed with China — The US and China sign a "Phase One" trade deal — China pledges to buy $200 billion more in US goods; most tariffs remain in place.
2024-11-05
: Trump Wins 2024 Election — Universal Tariff Promised — Donald Trump wins the presidency, having campaigned on a universal 10–20% tariff on all imports and a 60%+ tariff on Chinese goods.
2025-02-01
: Trump Signs Executive Orders — 25% Tariffs on Canada & Mexico — Days into his second term, Trump signs orders imposing 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% on China.
2025-04-02
: "Liberation Day" — Sweeping Global Tariffs Announced — Trump declares "Liberation Day," announcing sweeping reciprocal tariffs on virtually every US trading partner — rates range from 10% to over 50%.
2025-04-04
: China Retaliates with 34% Tariffs on All US Goods — China announces 34% retaliatory tariffs on all US imports effective April 10, matching Trump's Liberation Day rate.
2025-04-04
: Global Markets Crash — Worst Week Since 2020 — US and global stock markets post their worst week since the COVID crash as investors price in a global trade war and recession fears.
2025-04-09
: Trump Pauses Reciprocal Tariffs 90 Days — Except China — Trump announces a 90-day pause on higher reciprocal tariffs for most countries, reducing them to a 10% baseline — but raises China tariffs to 125%.
2025-04-14
: China Restricts Rare Earths — Beijing imposes export controls on seven rare earth elements critical to US defense, EV batteries, and semiconductor manufacturing.
2025-04-14
: China Restricts Rare Earths — Beijing imposes export controls on seven rare earth elements critical to US defense, EV batteries, and semiconductor manufacturing.
2025-04-14
: China Restricts Rare Earths — Beijing imposes export controls on seven rare earth elements critical to US defense, EV batteries, and semiconductor manufacturing.
2025-05-08
: US-UK Trade Framework Signed — The US and UK announce a bilateral trade framework — the first significant trade agreement Trump's team reaches during the tariff standoff.
2025-05-08
: US-UK Trade Framework Signed — The US and UK announce a bilateral trade framework — the first significant trade agreement Trump's team reaches during the tariff standoff.
2025-05-08
: US-UK Trade Framework Signed — The US and UK announce a bilateral trade framework — the first significant trade agreement Trump's team reaches during the tariff standoff.
2025-05-12
: US-China Geneva Trade Truce — After two days of talks in Geneva, the US and China agree to a 90-day mutual tariff rollback — the biggest de-escalation since Liberation Day.
2025-05-12
: US-China Geneva Trade Truce — After two days of talks in Geneva, the US and China agree to a 90-day mutual tariff rollback — the biggest de-escalation since Liberation Day.
2025-05-12
: US-China Geneva Trade Truce — After two days of talks in Geneva, the US and China agree to a 90-day mutual tariff rollback — the biggest de-escalation since Liberation Day.
2026-02-12
: Trump Declares Tariffs Permanent — Trump signs an executive order making the 10% universal baseline tariff a permanent feature of US trade policy — reversing decades of free-trade consensus.
2026-02-12
: Trump Declares Tariffs Permanent — Trump signs an executive order making the 10% universal baseline tariff a permanent feature of US trade policy — reversing decades of free-trade consensus.
2026-04-12
: Trump Threatens 50% China Tariff — President Trump threatens to impose a 50% tariff on China's exports if Beijing is found to be supplying weapons to Iran, linking the trade war directly to the US-Iran military conflict.
2026-04-12
: Trump Threatens 50% China Tariff — President Trump threatens to impose a 50% tariff on China's exports if Beijing is found to be supplying weapons to Iran, linking the trade war directly to the US-Iran military conflict.
2026-04-15
: China Restricts Rare Earth Exports — China announces export licensing requirements on 16 categories of rare earth elements critical for semiconductors, EVs, and defense systems — the most sweeping use of its rare earth leverage in the trade war.
2026-04-17
: Treasury Proposes Tariff Framework — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announces the US is willing to enter "good faith negotiations" with China to reduce tariffs if Beijing removes non-tariff barriers — the most concrete American offer since the trade war began escalating.