U.S. President Donald Trump will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping as soon as this week, Trump's spokesperson said, setting up a major diplomatic exchange as the world's two largest economies seek a deal that could avert a broader trade war.

Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s far-right White House deputy chief of staff for policy, was among a chorus of administration officials who tried to get their boss to back down on his most extreme tariff threats,

Trump had been threatening the tariffs to ensure greater cooperation from the countries on stopping illegal immigration.