U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the administration is considering the termination of certain trade relationships with China, particularly regarding cooking oil. Trump characterized China’s decision to significantly reduce purchases of U.S. soybeans as an “Economically Hostile Act” that is detrimental to American soybean farmers.
In a statement shared on social media, Trump said, “I believe that China purposefully not buying our soybeans, and causing difficulty for our soybean farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act. We are considering terminating business with China having to do with cooking oil, and other elements of trade, as retribution.” He added that the U.S. is capable of producing its own cooking oil and does not need to rely on imports from China.
China is the world’s largest buyer of soybeans, but recent months have seen a marked decline in U.S. soybean imports, with China increasingly sourcing from Brazil and Argentina amid ongoing tariff and trade disputes.
Trump has implemented a series of tariffs targeting billions of dollars’ worth of imports from China, with the aim of reducing a significant trade deficit, revitalizing domestic manufacturing, and addressing the fentanyl trade.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have been tense for several years, particularly during Trump’s presidency. The two nations have clashed over multiple issues, including trade tariffs, technology transfers, human rights concerns, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical issues involving Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
The announcement was published on October 15, 2025.
