President Trump's focus on a trade war with China threatens to derail negotiations on various other key issues with the country. His administration is deeply divided on how to handle Beijing, leading to strategic incoherence.
Some officials claim the tariffs aim to coerce China into a deal, while others argue the goal is to create a self-sufficient American economy, even at the cost of decoupling from significant bilateral trade.
This approach has alienated allies who previously worked towards a common strategy to counter China's power, leaving the US potentially isolated in future negotiations.