The latest TACO everyone’s talking about can’t be found at your nearby taqueria or Taco Bell. Nope. This TACO is in the Oval Office, and not in some takeout bag. TACO is the acronym coined by a Financial Times columnist referring to Trump and his “on-again, off-again” tariffs. “Trump Always Chickens Out” (TACO) is (understandably) irritating our thin-skinned president but it reflects the uncertainty experienced these days by the business community. It’s not just American businesses fed up with the tariffs but the main target of Trump’s tariff wrath — China. If this administration thought they would bring China to its knees, well, let’s just say no one has thought of a catchy acronym for China’s Xi Jinping — but China’s response suggests they’re anything but cowed.
Beijing is pushing back hard against what it sees as a breach of the U.S.-China trade truce brokered just weeks ago in Geneva. Chinese officials have accused the U.S. of violating the agreement through a trio of actions: restricting chip exports, blocking chip design software sales, and revoking student visas. According to China’s Foreign Ministry, these “extreme measures” and “defamatory accusations” undermine the spirit of the agreement and violate the “common understandings” the two sides reached.
This growing tension has real consequences. After years of tit-for-tat tariffs and negotiations, the Geneva agreement was meant to serve as a cooling-off period — a mutual step back from the brink. Instead, with both sides now accusing the other of violating the terms, global markets face renewed volatility, and American businesses that rely on Chinese supply chains are once again in limbo.
The U.S. appears to be pivoting from simply economic competition to strategic containment, particularly in technology and education. Export controls on advanced chips and design tools target China’s efforts to build domestic tech independence. Meanwhile, visa restrictions are aimed at limiting Chinese access to U.S. research institutions — especially in areas deemed sensitive to national security.
While Trump touts his “fast deal” on social media as a way to rescue China from economic disaster, Beijing flatly rejects the narrative, calling for the U.S. to “stop peddling misinformation” and uphold its commitments. The standoff is now primed for further escalation, with China hinting at retaliation and Trump promising a direct call with Xi — though the date remains uncertain.
In the meantime, the business world is left navigating a trade environment marked by instability, uncertainty, and political theater. Whether Trump’s critics stick with the TACO jab or not, the broader takeaway is clear: unpredictability in policy — especially when driven by personality — has a cost. And right now, the price is being paid by companies, consumers, and the already fragile trust between two of the world’s largest economies. Go beyond the headlines…
Americans see Republicans growing more comfortable, and Democrats less, with sharing their views
China Says US Violated Trade Truce With Three Moves
FBI seeks tips on hospitals, clinics performing gender-affirming surgeries on children
It’s a homebuyer’s market — if you can afford one
Different kinds of mindfulness may fight different kinds of anxiety
Researchers recreate 5,000-year-old Egyptian blue pigment using ancient techniques
Coffee Can Mess With Your Medication. A Pharmacist Explains Why.
This new Google app lets you use AI on your phone without the internet – here’s how
Per capita water use in Mexico City is double that of China’s capital
