Trump says countries are ‘kissing my ass’ to avoid tariffs amid trade war – National

Hours before sweeping tariffs came into effect for more than 90 nations — including a 104 per cent levy on China — U.S. President Donald Trump boasted that countries had been calling and “kissing my ass” in a last-ditch effort to sign a deal.

“I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass,” he said during a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner on Tuesday night, his comments garnering a giggle from the audience.

“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 continued, without specifying which countries had allegedly picked up the phone.

The president also criticized some Republican party members who have openly opposed his “reciprocal” tariffs and are attempting to pass a bill that would grant Congress new powers, in addition to existing ones, 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.”

Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska introduced legislation on Monday that aims to restrict Trump’s increasingly destabilizing economic policy, which is causing dramatic fluctuations in international stock markets and raising alarm bells among economists.

The legislation would put an expiry date on proposed tariffs by giving Congress 60 days to approve them and require the president to provide 48 hours’ notice of an incoming duty alongside its purpose and an impact assessment.

Republican Jeff Hurd from Colorado co-signed the bill alongside two Democratic representatives, Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Rep. Gregory Meeks.

“When people are already struggling with higher costs, we must do everything possible to make their lives more affordable. President Trump’s tariffs are doing just the opposite — raising the cost of nearly everything from coffee to cars and clothing while slashing people’s retirement savings and sending markets plummeting,” Gottheimer said.

Meanwhile, Hurd, his Republican counterpart, argued that the tariffs are unconstitutional.

“This isn’t a political issue for me. I believe Congress must reclaim its constitutionally mandated authority, and I would support this measure regardless of who is in the White House,” he said.

The Trump administration hit China with its most severe set of levies to date on Tuesday, after the manufacturing powerhouse retaliated with 34 per cent tariffs in response to Trump’s 34 per cent import tax, implemented last week.

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Early Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was “a mistake for China to retaliate,” echoing the president’s stance that tariffs are necessary to offset the U.S.’s trade deficit with global partners.

At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Trump struck again with a 104 per cent tariff. Beijing responded with an 84 per cent levy on the U.S.

Early Wednesday, China filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO), warning of the impacts of the spiralling trade war.

“The situation has dangerously escalated. As one of the affected members, China expresses grave concern and firm opposition to this reckless move,” China said in a statement to the WTO, sent to Reuters by the Chinese mission in Geneva.

It also accused the U.S. of violating the WTO’s rules and claimed it was undermining agreed-upon and established rules of global trade.

— With files from Reuters

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