Stephen McDonnell

That council appears to be focused on the sheer scale of Iran and the power of its military to inflict damage, not just on U.S.

forces in the region, but on allies in the region, too.

And what does that mean for opinion within the MAGA movement, which we know divides between a kind of J.D.

Vance view of not getting overentangled and someone like H.R.

McMaster, who we heard on the programme the other day, saying there was a price to doing nothing in Iran.

It was better that the president acted.

Well, it's still very early in the morning here in Beijing, but no doubt what the Chinese government will say is that, look, other countries shouldn't be expected to feel grateful just because Donald Trump eased up on some of the chaos that he's responsible for in the first place.

Well, it's still very early in the morning here in Beijing, but no doubt what the Chinese government will say is that, look, other countries shouldn't be expected to feel grateful just because Donald Trump eased up on some of the chaos that he's responsible for in the first place.

They'll also say that everything they've been saying to this point about the damaging nature of tariffs remains true today, perhaps even more so. For ordinary Chinese people, I think what they'll take from this is that Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass es an irgendeinem Punkt zwischen Beijing und Washington geschlossen wird. Nun, die Frage ist, woher der Trigger kommt.

They'll also say that everything they've been saying to this point about the damaging nature of tariffs remains true today, perhaps even more so. For ordinary Chinese people, I think what they'll take from this is that Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass es an irgendeinem Punkt zwischen Beijing und Washington geschlossen wird. Nun, die Frage ist, woher der Trigger kommt.

In der Zwischenzeit weiß Beijing, dass Donald Trump versuchen wird, sie zu wecken, um China als den schlechten Mann in diesem Szenario zu verleihen. Ich denke, sie versuchen wahrscheinlich, es auszuweichen, bis das passiert. while the pantomime, as they would see it, plays out in Washington, and then that eventually an off-ramp will present itself and they'll take it.

In der Zwischenzeit weiß Beijing, dass Donald Trump versuchen wird, sie zu wecken, um China als den schlechten Mann in diesem Szenario zu verleihen. Ich denke, sie versuchen wahrscheinlich, es auszuweichen, bis das passiert. while the pantomime, as they would see it, plays out in Washington, and then that eventually an off-ramp will present itself and they'll take it.

The tariffs going both ways now from China to the US are so high anyway, it kind of wouldn't matter how much you raise them, according to some analysts. It's already so damaging for any company that wants to trade either way. The pressure is already there. Obviously the damage is going to cut both ways and pressure is going to come to bear both ways.

The tariffs going both ways now from China to the US are so high anyway, it kind of wouldn't matter how much you raise them, according to some analysts. It's already so damaging for any company that wants to trade either way. The pressure is already there. Obviously the damage is going to cut both ways and pressure is going to come to bear both ways.

Beijing has argued that it can, like I say, it's been telling its own people that it can ride this out, just as I suppose Donald Trump is saying the same to his people.

Beijing has argued that it can, like I say, it's been telling its own people that it can ride this out, just as I suppose Donald Trump is saying the same to his people.

No sign at all that Beijing will be caving in following the threats from Donald Trump. I mean, it's funny, I saw those comments from him overnight and it did strike me as wishful thinking on his part if he just thought the Chinese government was going to turn on this so quickly, especially when they're accusing the US of blackmail. They've been ridiculing the whole idea of...

No sign at all that Beijing will be caving in following the threats from Donald Trump. I mean, it's funny, I saw those comments from him overnight and it did strike me as wishful thinking on his part if he just thought the Chinese government was going to turn on this so quickly, especially when they're accusing the US of blackmail. They've been ridiculing the whole idea of...

that the original Trump tariffs were reciprocal anyway, saying that this is the act of a bully. They're saying that if Donald Trump makes good on his latest threat, well, they've got their own countermeasures, which they'll reveal. So how it might play out over the next couple of days, well, as you mentioned, today's the deadline. China isn't backing down.

that the original Trump tariffs were reciprocal anyway, saying that this is the act of a bully. They're saying that if Donald Trump makes good on his latest threat, well, they've got their own countermeasures, which they'll reveal. So how it might play out over the next couple of days, well, as you mentioned, today's the deadline. China isn't backing down.