Rep. Ro Khanna has sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s trade and economic policies, particularly his approach to China, in an opinion piece. Khanna notes that Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing in May while the U.S. continues to grapple with the economic fallout from his 'reckless and costly war against Iran.' He highlights rising gas prices, a tumbling stock market, and increased costs for American manufacturers, farmers, and families due to sweeping tariffs imposed on America’s trading partners [1].
According to Khanna, China has gained stronger economic and strategic advantages since Trump began his second term. The Supreme Court ruled Trump’s tariff policy unlawful, and it has failed to rebalance the U.S.-China economic relationship. The U.S. global goods trade deficit reached a record $1.23 trillion last year, exceeding the average deficit under President Joe Biden by more than $105 billion. Meanwhile, China’s trade surplus with the world surged to $1.2 trillion in 2025, up from $992 billion in 2024 [1]. Although the bilateral U.S. trade deficit with China shrank, Khanna claims China is rerouting goods through third countries, often illegally, a trend the Trump administration has not addressed [1].
Khanna details the negative impact on American workers: U.S. manufacturers have lost approximately 100,000 jobs and manufacturing construction has declined by 12% since Trump returned to office. American farmers have lost over $14 billion in sales to China and paid more than $4 billion in higher input costs. Soybean farmers have been particularly affected, with China purchasing only 7.4 tons of U.S. soybeans in 2025, compared to 26.8 million tons in 2024 [1].
Momentum to rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding industry has stalled after Trump suspended critical fees on Chinese ships following a meeting with Xi in South Korea last year. The offshore wind industry has also suffered, canceling ship orders and job contracts after the administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars in government support. Khanna concludes that Trump’s policies have not leveled the playing field with China and have exacerbated job losses, citing an estimated 3.7 million Americans losing good-paying jobs and nearly 70,000 U.S. factories closing between 2001 and 2018 [1].
CONCLUSION
Rep. Ro Khanna’s opinion piece presents a highly critical view of President Trump’s trade and economic policies, highlighting record deficits, job losses, and weakened industries. The article suggests significant negative market implications, with little optimism for improvement under current policies. The overall sentiment is strongly negative, indicating high market impact and concern among affected sectors.