James Carville, a longtime Democratic strategist, accused President Donald Trump of one of the most "ignorant" acts in American history due to his tariffs and trade war with China. Carville wrote in a New York Times op-ed that Trump's actions will be recorded as one of the most ignorant acts of political leadership, damaging the global economy and breaking the cardinal rule of never destabilizing the economy. He called on Democrats to seize this opportunity and step out of the Republicans' way.

The Trump administration has quietly exempted smartphones, electronic devices, and components from tariffs on Chinese goods entering the US, including iPhones made by Apple. This exemption represents a significant trade war retreat as it excludes the largest Chinese export to America by value. Without this exemption, iPhone prices could have increased significantly due to the 125% tariff, with potential sticker shock for consumers. The move has avoided a public repricing of iPhones and may have prevented a broader crisis in the US-China trade war.

The White House warned that Britain will have to offer "extraordinary" concessions to get a tariff-free trade deal with the US. The 10% baseline tariff is expected to be maintained, requiring an extraordinary deal for President Trump to lower it. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed pleasure at the 90-day pause on some tariffs but acknowledged that the challenge remains, and officials are continuing to pursue a free trade agreement.

The US tariff pause announced by President Trump only applies to some tariffs and does not change the overall direction of US trade policy. The new 10% tariff rate on all imports from countries including the UK remains in place, with exemptions for certain goods. The pause does provide relief for some countries such as Vietnam, which had been facing a 46% tariff, but many other tariffs remain in place. Economists warn that the pause has not changed the overall direction of US trade policy and will still harm the global economy.