World
Cramer: China ‘Learning to Live Without Us’ as Tariff Rift Deepens
By Jake Beardslee · October 14, 2025
Cramer Questions Effectiveness of Trump’s New Tariffs
CNBC host Jim Cramer cautioned that President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs may not be having their intended effect, pointing to signs that China is adapting to reduced trade with the United States. Speaking on “Mad Money” Monday, Cramer said, “China believes they got the cards,” suggesting Beijing sees itself in a stronger negotiating position amid the ongoing trade standoff. Kaboompics.com / Pexels
Cramer Says China Adapting as U.S. Trade Falls
Cramer pointed to trade data showing China’s shifting export strategy: “China’s total exports to destinations other than the United States grew nearly 15%, while their exports to U.S. plunged 27%,” he said. Despite the decline in U.S.-bound shipments, he noted that “total exports in September rose 8%,” concluding that China may be “learning to live without us.” jefe king / Pexels
Cramer Addresses Doubts Over China’s Trade Data
While Cramer acknowledged some skepticism about the reliability of Chinese government figures, he noted that the numbers are verifiable through partner nations’ trade reports. “There’s no point in lying about these trade numbers, because we’ll get numbers from our trading partners too,” he said. Lukas / Pexels
Trump Escalates Trade Fight With 100% Tariff on Chinese Imports
Last week, President Trump imposed an additional 100% tariff on Chinese imports—a move that reignited trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. The decision followed China’s announcement expanding export controls on rare earth elements, critical minerals used in electronics, defense systems, and renewable energy technologies. Under the new rules, foreign companies must now obtain export licenses for products containing Chinese rare earths. The White House / Wikimedia
Trump Strikes Conciliatory Tone Toward China After Tariff Tensions
However, Trump appeared to soften his tone over the weekend. Posting to Truth Social on Sunday, he assured followers that “it will all be fine,” while describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as having “had a bad moment.” The president added, “The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it.” Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Roubini: Trump Forced to “Chicken Out”
Economist Nouriel Roubini commented on the episode, observing that financial market reactions have repeatedly forced Trump to retreat after aggressive tariff announcements. In an X post, Roubini wrote:“He said (lashes), Xi said. Another TALO and TACO cycle. They get shorter but markets still over-react to them rather than fading them in advance knowing that as soon as he lashes out, market discipline will force him to chicken out 🧨🎢🎡🎢🐓.” Burak The Weekender / Pexels
