--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trump does like to pick fights, but it is…" description: "\"Trump does like to pick fights, but it is a mistake to think he is transactional on China.\" — Scott Bessent" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg" --- # Trump does like to pick fights, but it is a mistake to… ![“Trump does like to pick fights, but it is a mistake to think he is transactional on China.” quote by Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg) > “Trump does like to pick fights, but it is a mistake to think he is transactional on China.” [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump often provokes conflicts, yet assuming he negotiates purely on transactional terms with China oversimplifies his strategy. **In simple terms:** He likes fights but isn’t just a deal‑maker with China. Key Takeaway Don’t reduce complex geopolitics to simple trade logic. Themes politics strategy China‑US relations Mood critical analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy analysis - diplomatic negotiations - media commentary Key Concepts transactionalism conflict dynamics leadership style Questions to Reflect On - How do personal rivalries shape foreign policy? - What other factors drive US‑China interactions? A Different Perspective Assuming pure transactional motives ignores ideological and domestic pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fights Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fights-mistake-4903216/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Pick Fights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pick-fights-756357/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Transactional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-transactional-4903217/) [Transactional China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transactional-china-4903215/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-does/) ## Related quotes > [I've got to pick my fights at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-rauner/i-ve-got-to-pick-my-fights-at-the-right-time/) [Bruce Rauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-rauner/) > [I know how to pick my fights. My momma taught me well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-holland/i-know-how-to-pick-my-fights-my-momma-taught-me-well/) [Kevin Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-holland/) > [“A banty-rooster sort of guy, the kind that likes to pick fights, especially when the odds are all their way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/a-banty-rooster-sort-of-guy-the-kind-that-likes-to-pick-fights/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“If I asked you to stay behind, would you?' His eyes bore into mine. 'No.' 'Exactly. I try not to pick fights I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-yarros/if-i-asked-you-to-stay-behind-would-you-his-eyes-bore-into-mine-no/) [Rebecca Yarros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-yarros/) > [“Pick your fights like you pick your nose: with complete awareness of where you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/pick-your-fights-like-you-pick-your-nose-with-complete-awareness-of/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“I’ve always made it a rule in my life not to pick fights with children, cute animals, or ignorant old men. I will, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-ve-always-made-it-a-rule-in-my-life-not-to-pick-fights-with/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [If you look back at my fights, if you pick three or four fights in a row, it's possible if you watch my style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-macdonald/if-you-look-back-at-my-fights-if-you-pick-three-or-four-fights-in-a/) [Rory MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-macdonald/) > [Sometimes men pick fights just for something to do-just to feel something like the threat of harm and the possibility of triumph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/sometimes-men-pick-fights-just-for-something-to-do-just-to-feel/) [Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/) > [Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to pick one that fights back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-3/of-all-the-trees-we-could-ve-hit-we-had-to-pick-one-that-fights-back/) [J K Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-3/) > [I don't duck and dodge, I don't pick fights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/i-don-t-duck-and-dodge-i-don-t-pick-fights/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [“Dad,” I said quietly, “I’ve always made it a rule in my life not to pick fights with children, cute animals, or ignorant old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/dad-i-said-quietly-i-ve-always-made-it-a-rule-in-my-life-not-to-pick/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Fear helps a man pick his fights. You’re fighting them all, my prince.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lawrence/fear-helps-a-man-pick-his-fights-you-re-fighting-them-all-my-prince/) [Mark Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lawrence/) > [People come to me and they're like, 'You're hand picking fighters.' I don't pick my fights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrien-broner/people-come-to-me-and-they-re-like-you-re-hand-picking-fighters-i-don/) [Adrien Broner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrien-broner/) > [I'm not about trying to hand pick my fights and tip toe around the competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aljamain-sterling/i-m-not-about-trying-to-hand-pick-my-fights-and-tip-toe-around-the/) [Aljamain Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aljamain-sterling/) > [“I was the first comic in world history, so they told me, to pick fights with children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields-3/i-was-the-first-comic-in-world-history-so-they-told-me-to-pick-fights/) [W C Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields-3/) ## More by Scott Bessent > [If Vice President Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. had won his home state of Tennessee on November 7, 2000, he would have become president of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/if-vice-president-albert-arnold-gore-jr-had-won-his-home-state-of/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Our firm: We study history. We think about the future. We try to analyze what's going on in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/our-firm-we-study-history-we-think-about-the-future-we-try-to-analyze/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Tariffs can't be inflationary because if the price of one thing goes up, unless you give people more money, then they have less money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/tariffs-can-t-be-inflationary-because-if-the-price-of-one-thing-goes/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [President Trump's first-term tariffs did not raise the prices of the affected goods, despite predictions back then that the tariffs would prove inflationary. Indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/president-trump-s-first-term-tariffs-did-not-raise-the-prices-of-the/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [We are stretching our nation's finances and creditworthiness so thin that we may find ourselves unable to afford to defend our interests around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/we-are-stretching-our-nation-s-finances-and-creditworthiness-so-thin/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has distorted Treasury markets by borrowing more than $1 trillion in more-expensive shorter-term debt compared with historical norms. Terming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/treasury-secretary-janet-yellen-has-distorted-treasury-markets-by/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [The original sin of Bidenomics was the American Rescue Plan, which became law in March 2021.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/the-original-sin-of-bidenomics-was-the-american-rescue-plan-which/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Used strategically, tariffs can increase revenue to the Treasury, encourage businesses to restore production and reduce our reliance on industrial production from strategic rivals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/used-strategically-tariffs-can-increase-revenue-to-the-treasury/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Academic economists have consistently discredited themselves by wrongly warning against the policies of President Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/academic-economists-have-consistently-discredited-themselves-by/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [I grew up on a fishing village, a little river, South Carolina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/i-grew-up-on-a-fishing-village-a-little-river-south-carolina/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Allowing the private sector rather than the government to allocate capital is crucial to growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/allowing-the-private-sector-rather-than-the-government-to-allocate/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Despite its many flaws, abandoning the international trading system would be a major economic and strategic mistake. Instead, the United States must adopt policies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/despite-its-many-flaws-abandoning-the-international-trading-system/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [The reserve currency can go up and down based on the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/the-reserve-currency-can-go-up-and-down-based-on-the-market/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [The Federal Reserve was forced to raise rates at a record pace after the demand shock created by Biden's multi-trillion-dollar spending packages were launched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/the-federal-reserve-was-forced-to-raise-rates-at-a-record-pace-after/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [We have historically tended to run fairly steady levels of government tax revenue as a percentage of gross domestic product and expenditures at around 20%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/we-have-historically-tended-to-run-fairly-steady-levels-of-government/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) [Explore all 83 Scott Bessent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) ## More China quotes > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/) [Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. That has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/the-situation-with-tibet-has-to-change-china-is-one-of-the-last-huge/) [Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/) > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Trump does like to pick fights, but it is a mistake to think he is transactional on China.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Bessent" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is-a-mistake-to-think-he-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "China" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is-a-mistake-to-think-he-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/scott-bessent-8205_china_trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is_601446.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Trump does like to pick fights, but it is a mistake to think he is transactional on China.” — Scott Bessent", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Scott Bessent", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Trump does like to pick fights,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is-a-mistake-to-think-he-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/trump-does-like-to-pick-fights-but-it-is-a-mistake-to-think-he-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```