President Donald Trump's only regret in hiking tariffs on China is that he didn't raise them higher, his press secretary said Sunday after the president had earlier signaled some remorse for an escalating trade war with China.
Trump faced a tense reception from world leaders meeting amid mounting anxiety of a global economic slowdown at the Group of Seven summit in France.
During a breakfast meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Trump suggested he has qualms about the spiraling conflict.
"Yeah. For sure," Trump told reporters when asked if he has second thoughts about escalating the conflict, adding he has "second thoughts about everything."
But hours later, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham issued a statement saying Trump was "greatly misinterpreted," saying Trump only responded "in the affirmative - because he regrets not raising the tariffs higher."
"We're in favour of trade peace."
He cited China's theft of intellectual property and the large US trade deficit with China, saying "in many ways that's an emergency."
"No I haven't."