Donald Trump has made another announcement via Truth Social that could once again significantly affect global trade. In an attempt to show his unwavering support for Iranian protesters, Trump has threatened a 25% tariff on countries such as China and India that continue to do business with Iran.
China remains America’s biggest global competitor when it comes to goods produced and exported. Even during Trump’s first wave of sweeping tariffs, he was forced to hold special negotiations with the country to protect jobs and consumers on a state-by-state basis. That context is what made Trump’s Truth Social post particularly surprising. He wrote, “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”
There has been little clarity from the White House on how such tariffs would actually work. No document has been shared by the administration explaining the legal authority under which the president could make such a sweeping declaration. According to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy responded by saying, “China’s position against the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs is consistent and clear. Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems.”
While Trump claims he is trying to assist Iranian protesters by shaking up geopolitics, the situation inside the Middle Eastern nation is growing more dire by the day. Not long ago, Iran’s regime was embroiled in a war with U.S. ally Israel. Somewhere between then and now, however, a segment of the population has taken to the streets to demand that the government step down.
Reportedly, pro-government protesters have also mobilized in support of the regime. Internet access and phone lines have been cut, making reports coming out of the country vague and slow. Human rights agencies say that, according to their findings, nearly 10,000 people have been arrested during the protests. There are still no official reports on how many people may have died.
The Trump administration has made it clear that its initial approach to this latest global crisis will be diplomacy. Trump, however, does not have the strongest reputation when it comes to diplomacy. While many view it as a useful skill, the president has a very different approach. His style is aggressive. He has engaged in multiple arguments broadcast live from the Oval Office, and when that fails, he often resorts to threats. In the case of Venezuela, he made it clear that his final step would be invasion.
Trump ended his declaration of new tariffs by stating, “This order is final and conclusive.” That would suggest that previous trade deals could now be effectively abandoned. The reasoning is clear: to pressure the Iranian government and limit its ability to manage the current internal unrest. However, Trump has a history of “chickening out” on such threats — a habit that even earned him a nickname on Wall Street.
The bigger question is whether this will signal to the rest of the world that the Trump administration’s word cannot be trusted. If so, diplomacy itself may become impossible.
The White House has not yet commented on Trump’s latest statement.
Published: Jan 13, 2026 08:32 am