Former President Donald Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “very tough” and “extremely hard to make a deal with,” highlighting ongoing tensions between the two leaders despite speculation of an upcoming phone call to address trade disputes.

In a post shared on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump expressed personal respect for Xi but acknowledged the challenges of engaging with him diplomatically. “I like President Xi of China, always have and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH,” Trump wrote.

This public statement comes just days after Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, indicated that a conversation between the two leaders was likely to take place this week. The planned discussion was expected to focus on unresolved issues stemming from a recent tariff agreement reached in Geneva, including disagreements over the management of critical mineral exports.

Despite mounting anticipation, the early morning remarks from Trump seemed to dampen hopes for any quick progress in trade negotiations.

Leavitt is the third senior Trump aide to suggest an imminent dialogue between the U.S. and Chinese presidents, though Xi has remained largely unresponsive. Chinese officials stated in April that no recent communication had occurred between the two leaders.

Meanwhile, the legal battle over Trump-era tariffs continues to unfold. A U.S. trade court recently ruled that Trump had exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports under emergency powers. However, that decision was temporarily blocked by a federal appeals court just a day later, allowing the tariffs to remain in place while the government’s appeal is considered.

The uncertainty surrounding both diplomatic engagement and trade policy suggests that tensions between Washington and Beijing remain far from resolved.