President Trump bragged that countries have been “calling us up, kissing my ass” ever since he announced he’d be slapping roughly 90 nations with sweeping tariffs — including a staggering 104% levy on China.
“I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass,” Trump told the National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner late Tuesday — just hours before the tariffs went into effect.
“They are. They are dying to make a deal. ‘Please, please, Sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, sir!’” he said mockingly.
Trump, who stopped short of revealing which countries had asked for a deal, went on to rip “rebel” Republicans who have criticized his reciprocal tariffs and are trying to give Congress the ability to block them.
“I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate,” he said.
“Oh that’s what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.”
“I know what the hell I’m doing,” Trump added. “I know what I’m doing, and you know what I’m doing too.”
His remarks came hours before the tariffs, which hit US allies and adversaries alike, went into effect just after midnight.
The tariffs are in addition to a 10% baseline levy imposed on April 5.
The president slapped China with the steepest duties on imports after Beijing struck back with retaliatory 34% tariffs on US goods in response to the 34% import fee Trump revealed last week.
“It was a mistake for China to retaliate,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Tuesday.
“The president, when America is punched, he punches back harder. That’s why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.”
Trump’s 50% retaliatory tariff on China is in addition to the 34% reciprocal levy and the previously imposed 20% duty on Chinese imports, which amounts to a 104% total tariff rate.
China on Wednesday told the World Trade Organization that the US’s decision to impose reciprocal tariffs on Beijing threatened to further destabilize global trade.
“The situation has dangerously escalated… As one of the affected members, China expresses grave concern and firm opposition to this reckless move,” the country said in a statement to the WTO.
With Post wires
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