President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy and approach to China have been central themes in Greg Kelly’s coverage on Newsmax, contrasting sharply with Joe Biden’s policies. Kelly emphasizes Trump’s decades-long focus on economic nationalism and reciprocal trade deals, arguing this positions him as uniquely tough on China compared to Biden.
Trump recently announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for most trading partners while quadrupling China’s tariffs to 125%. This move triggered stock market volatility, which Kelly dismissed as overblown, noting: “The mainstream media wants panic, but this is strategic negotiation”. Markets initially dropped 3% before recovering half the losses by week’s end.
Kelly highlights Trump’s consistency, recalling his 1988 newspaper ads criticizing U.S. trade imbalances and 2017 Jerusalem embassy move despite establishment opposition. The host argued Trump’s policies force adversaries like Vietnam to offer tariff concessions, citing their pledge to eliminate import taxes if a U.S. deal materializes.
The commentary frames Biden as compromised by Chinese interests, contrasting his administration’s approach with Trump’s “America First” tactics. Kelly noted: “Unlike Biden, Trump isn’t owned by China – he’s spent 30 years preparing for this economic battle”.
Newsmax segments criticized outlets like The New York Times for “fearmongering” about tariff impacts while downplaying China’s 84% tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports. Kelly defended Trump’s consumer cost criticisms, stating: “The elites hate that he speaks plainly about trade abuses regular Americans understand”.
The coverage positions Trump’s tariff moves as disrupting globalist economic policies while portraying Biden as maintaining status quo relationships with Beijing. Kelly’s analysis consistently returns to Trump’s willingness to break political norms and “deliver results rather than empty promises”.
