
The president has repeatedly threatened to raise tariffs if Chinese President Xi Jinping doesn’t meet with him at the Group of 20 leaders’ meeting June 28-29 in Osaka, Japan. Trump is still waiting for a response from Xi about a meeting, economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Thursday, and Trump said on Wednesday he had no deadline to return to trade talks.
The companies and groups said in the letter that they support Trump’s efforts to hold trading partners accountable, but that both sides will lose in an escalated trade war.
“We are counting on you to force a positive resolution that removes the current tariffs, fosters American competitiveness, grows our economy and protects our workers and customers,” the companies and groups wrote.
Reporting by Mark Niquette.