--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yet as one senior administration official…" description: "\"“Yet as one senior administration official noted to me, 'People who blithely say that we'd win a trade war because China obviously couldn't sustain the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec0/david-e-sanger-15061_management_yet-as-one-senior-administration-officia_3195659.jpg" --- # Yet as one senior administration official noted to me… ![“Yet as one senior administration official noted to me, 'People who blithely say that we'd win a trade war because China obviously couldn't sustain the damage caused by cutting off their goods are just naive and silly.' Any significant trade restrictions the United States imposed on China would…” quote by David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec0/david-e-sanger-15061_management_yet-as-one-senior-administration-officia_3195659.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec0/david-e-sanger-15061_management_yet-as-one-senior-administration-officia_3195659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec0/david-e-sanger-15061_management_yet-as-one-senior-administration-officia_3195659.jpg) > ““Yet as one senior administration official noted to me, 'People who blithely say that we'd win a trade war because China obviously couldn't sustain the damage caused by cutting off their goods are just naive and silly.' Any significant trade restrictions the United States imposed on China would swiftly lead to an equally harmful retaliation on the United States. That is why the most effective lobbyists against tariffs on Chinese goods are American companies that buy from China, do business in China, or have ventures with Chinese firms. So as Obama's outburst \[of 'I need leverage!' to staff on a visit to Asia in 2011\] underscored, the form of leverage threatened most often by Washington politicians looking for an easy applause line actually offers little leverage at all.”” [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trade wars are mutually damaging; leverage claims are often overstated and ineffective. **In simple terms:** Trade threats hurt both sides; claimed leverage is weak. Key Takeaway Recognize real costs before supporting tariffs. Themes economics politics global trade policy leverage Mood cautious analytical Type policy political When to use this quote - government negotiations - corporate lobbying - consumer pricing - supply chain planning Key Concepts mutual retaliation strategic interdependence political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - What are the hidden costs of tariffs? - How can businesses influence trade policy? A Different Perspective Assumes all actors respond uniformly; ignores domestic political pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leverage Threatened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leverage-threatened-5912056/) [Lobbyists Tariffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lobbyists-tariffs-5912054/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Tariffs Chinese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tariffs-chinese-5912055/) [Trade Restrictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade-restrictions-3193661/) [Trade War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade-war-547025/) ## Related quotes > [Perhaps the removal of trade restrictions throughout the world would do more for the cause of universal peace than can any political union of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-chodorov/perhaps-the-removal-of-trade-restrictions-throughout-the-world-would/) [Frank Chodorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-chodorov/) > [To try to correct imbalances with trade restrictions is a grave error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigo-rato/to-try-to-correct-imbalances-with-trade-restrictions-is-a-grave-error/) [Rodrigo Rato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodrigo-rato/) > [U.S. agricultural products, including safe, high-quality Montana beef, face unscientific trade restrictions in many important markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-baucus/u-s-agricultural-products-including-safe-high-quality-montana-beef/) [Max Baucus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-baucus/) > [We're in a trade war. 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Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Explore all 44 David E. Sanger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) ## More Management quotes > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) [Davan Yahya Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davan-yahya-khalil/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? 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