As new U.S. tariffs officially come into force, President Donald Trump is doubling down on his confrontational trade stance - boasting that world leaders are “kissing my a**” in a rush to negotiate with Washington.
Speaking at a National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) donor dinner on Tuesday, Trump claimed his aggressive tariff policies have forced countries to the negotiation table. “They are dying to make a deal,” he said, mocking their eagerness with a theatrical impersonation: “Please, sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything.”
The remarks come just as Trump's latest round of tariffs hit global markets.
On April 2, his administration announced a 10% baseline tariff on imports from nearly every country. That was followed by a targeted 104% tariff on all Chinese imports, which took effect at midnight on April 8. China had been given 24 hours to drop its 34% retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods - an ultimatum it ignored.
India wasn’t spared either. As of Wednesday, a 26% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S. is in place, sending shockwaves through Indian financial markets. The Sensex opened in negative territory amid fears of a prolonged trade standoff.
Trump also dismissed calls from within his own party to give Congress a role in trade negotiations, saying, “Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate.”
In a surprising turn, China has reached out to India, calling for a united front against what it described as “U.S. abuse of tariffs.”
Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing said on X (formerly Twitter), “The China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complementarity and mutual benefit... the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties.”