President Trump demanded his chief of staff John Kelly “bring me some tariffs” instead of half-measures that move toward his protectionist trade goals.
Axios reported Trump made the demand of Kelly during a meeting in the Oval Office during Kelly’s first week as chief of staff. Trump was talking with Kelly, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, then-chief strategist Steve Bannon, senior trade adviser Peter Navarro, and chief economic advisor Gary Cohn.
Trump was bemoaning the fact that he wasn’t about to sign a tariff against the Chinese instead of merely a measure that announced an investigation into Chinese practices when it comes to intellectual property theft.
“I’ll sign it, but it’s not what I’ve asked for the last six months,” Trump told Kelly, according to Axios. “So, John, I want you to know, this is my view. I want tariffs. And I want someone to bring me some tariffs.”
Trump added his advisers don’t want him to impose tariffs on the Chinese and called them “globalists,” a term used by Breitbart — Bannon’s once and current news organization — to describe people who don’t subscribe to Trump’s “America First” theories.
“John, let me tell you why they didn’t bring me any tariffs,” he said. “I know there are some people in the room right now that are upset. I know there are some globalists in the room right now. And they don’t want them, John, they don’t want the tariffs. But I’m telling you, I want tariffs.”
