*By Chloe Aiello*
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are reportedly considering a meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Resort in March to resume trade talks. But whether or not any major developments will result is a toss-up, former State Department Senior Advisor Christian Whiton told Cheddar.
"It's still a coin toss as to whether or not there's a big deal, but Wall Street seems to take it for granted. I think it's less likely, and what's more likely, it's going to be a very long-term process of jousting," said Whiton, who served as an advisor for both Trump and former President George W. Bush.
[Axios reported](https://www.axios.com/trump-xi-china-trade-war-mar-a-lago-37bb245b-9ffa-455e-bc82-499c3c32d7e2.html) on Sunday that Trump's advisers have discussed hosting a summit at the president's Palm Beach, Fla., resort in an attempt to resolve the ongoing trade standoff between the U.S. and China. Sources informed Axios that the summit could come as soon as mid-March, although neither the date nor the location have been officially set.
A mid-March summit would come after the March 2 deadline Trump set to hike tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese goods. Whiton said the summit could potentially lead to further delays.
"My guess is that if a summit was scheduled, it would be hard for the administration to go ahead with that increase," he said. "Having said that, there is some jousting within the administration between hardliners ... who want tariffs on sooner as added pressure, and the Wall Street crowd."
Whiton also said that China has done little to address major concerns over intellectual property theft and anti-competitive behaviors.
"What I understand is China really hasn't been that forthcoming in the systemic reform that Trump really wants, and frankly that there is bipartisan consensus for," he said. "They are sort of saying, 'meet us halfway on those things.' But that is extremely hard to do."
Trump has been pushing for adjustments in trade policies with China even before he stepped into the Oval Office. The two powers have been tangled in a retaliatory trade war since Trump first leveraged tariffs in early 2018.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/white-house-reportedly-considering-mar-a-lago-for-u-s-china-trade-summit).
President Trump is proposing a 25% tax on steel brought to the U.S., and a 10% tax on aluminum. The announcement sent the stock market into a tailspin. RNC Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany says Americans should not be surprised by the move.
President Trump doubles down on tariffs, saying a trade war doesn't hurt us. Blackberry is suing Facebook. Amazon Prime's former Vice President is heading to Airbnb. Plus, we take a look at the business of marijuana on Cheddar's Cannabiz.
Cheddar's CannaBiz explores the latest trends, politics, and market opportunity in this space. Cheddar Anchor's Brad Smith, Hope King and Alyssa Julya Smith speak with legislators and start-up founders in this emerging market.
Marijuana businesses have undergone quite a makeover as more states adopt laws to allow medicinal and recreational use. Support to legalize marijuana is at record highs with 64 percent of Americans in support of legalization according to a Gallup poll. Cannabrand's Founder and CEO Olivia Mannix explains how the perception of this market has evolved.
Berkeley is the first city in the nation to become a sanctuary city for cannabis. Through a city council vote in February the group unanimously voted to prohibit any city agencies to use its resources to assist in enforcing federal marijuana laws. Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín explains how this legislation is impacting his city.
This Changes Things hosts Baker Machado and Brad Smith explain how small businesses will be impacted by Trump's proposed tariffs. Plus, why Nordstrom rejected a bid from the company's founding family.
Cheddar spoke with RNC spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany who said, before the news broke, that it's important for Republicans get behind the president's trade policies.
Jesse Arreguín, mayor of Berkeley, Calif., says that local police officers will not collaborate with the DEA to enforce federal drug laws. Arreguín shared advice for cities and states considering becoming "sanctuaries" for cannabis.
ESPN has a new president, following the abrupt resignation of its former president in December. The popular trivia app HQ has received an additional $15 million in funding. In other funding news, the insurance app Lemonade recently secured $120 million in Series C funding. And we're joined by iconic travel writer Rick Steves to hear about his new book, "Travel as a Political Act."
President Trump is doubling down on his plan to place tariffs on steel and aluminum imports despite facing backlash from his own party. Michael Knowles, host of "The Michael Knowles Show" podcast on conservative site The Daily Wire, shares his take on trade wars and the 2018 midterm elections.
