WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States hasalready lost any trade war, as he defended his proposed tariffs againstChinese goods, saying the move might cause “a little pain” but the countrywill be better off in the long run.

“We’ve already lost the trade war. We don’t have a trade war, we’ve lostthe trade war,” Trump said in a radio interview with New York radio show,77 WABC’s “Bernie & Sid.”

“I’m not saying there won’t be a little pain, but the market has gone up40%, 42% so we might lose a little bit of it. But we’re going to have amuch stronger country when we’re finished.

“So we may take a hit and you know what, ultimately we’re going to be muchstronger for it,” Trump said. – Agencies