"Kids Will Have 2 Dolls Instead Of 30": Trump Downplays Trade War Impact

Amid growing concerns over the economic implications of escalating trade tensions with China, US President Donald Trump said American consumers may start to feel the pinch. Speaking about the effects of tariffs, Trump acknowledged that children in the US may end up with "two dolls instead of 30," but maintained the long-term impact would hurt China more than the United States.

The remarks came as fresh data revealed the American economy contracted in the first three months of the year, according to a report in the Associated Press. Unfazed, Trump continued to downplay fears of a potential recession and assured that his approach was the right path forward.

Trump suggested Americans be prepared to modify their consumption patterns as part of his broader strategy to counter Beijing's trade practices. He indicated that the nation had become too reliant on inexpensive goods imported from China and questioned the necessity of such products. "We're not talking about something that we have to go out of our way for. They have ships that are loaded up with stuff, much of which - not all of it - we don't need," he was quoted as saying by CNN.

The 78-year-old Republican's rhetoric pointed to a broader effort to shift the narrative. While many economists and retail leaders have warned that tariffs could lead to higher prices and empty shelves, especially by summer, the President seemed to brush aside those concerns. "Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally," Trump said.

Retail executives, during a meeting with the president last week, cautioned that supply chains could soon be disrupted. It could lead to shortages and price spikes across various product categories, according to the report.

At a cabinet meeting, Trump appeared eager to cast blame on his predecessor Joe Biden for the current economic downturn. As reported by the Associated Press, Trump said his tariff measures were placing significant pressure on China's manufacturing sector. "Their factories are not doing business," he said, adding the US didn't truly require goods from China.

Pinning recent market volatility on Biden, Trump wrote on social media, "This is Biden's Stock Market, not Trump's." He added, "Our country will boom, but we have to get rid of the Biden 'overhang.' This will take a while, has nothing to do with tariffs."

Despite the widespread use of Chinese-made products in the US, Trump doubled down on his position, referring to China as the "chief ripper-offer" of the United States, CNN reported.