China trade deal may not happen until after US election, says Trump
US President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that a trade deal with China may not be agreed until after the 2020 US Presidential election.
Speaking to reporters at a meeting with the head of Nato in London, Trump said that a deal with China would only happen if he wanted it to.
"I don't think it's up to if they want to make it, it's if I want to make it. We'll see what happens," he said. "I'm doing very well if I want to make a deal, I don't know that I want to make it, they're going to find out pretty soon."
He also hinted that an agreement might not be on the cards until after the US presidential election in November 2020.
"In some ways I think it’s better to wait until after the election with China. In some ways I want to wait until after the election for a China deal," he said.
On Monday, Trump announced that the US would reimpose tariffs on steel and aluminium from Brazil and Argentina and threatened to slap tariffs on $2.4bn worth of French products such as champagne, handbags and cheese in response to the country’s new tax on US technology firms.