close video White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says China to be hit with additional 104% tariff
Leavitt told reporters that President Donald Trump believes China is lookin to make a deal with the U.S., but they “don’t know how to get that started.”
The Trump administration is hitting China with harsher tariffs after the country failed to meet the president’s 12:00 p.m. deadline on Tuesday to lift its retaliatory tariffs. This comes after President Donald Trump insisted that China wanted to "make a deal badly."
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that an additional 104% tariff on Chinese imports will be imposed on April 9. In Tuesday’s press briefing, Leavitt also reiterated Trump’s belief that China is looking to make a deal.
Trump says Xi Jinping, China’s president, knows where he stands when it comes to tariffs. (Ton Molina/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
CHINA REFUSES TO BACK DOWN ON TARIFFS AFTER TRUMP THREATENED TOUGHER MEASURES
"He believes China has to make a deal with the United States. It was a mistake for China to retaliate," Leavitt told reporters. "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."
Leavitt added that Trump said he would be ‘gracious’ if Chinese President Xi Jinping were to attempt to negotiate a deal.
President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled “Make America Wealthy Again” at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 2, 2025. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
CHINA RETALIATES WITH 34% TARIFFS ON US IMPORTS
China was already expected to see increased tariffs under Trump’s reciprocal tariffs plan. The extra 104% was presumably added because of the country’s refusal to make a deal with the White House.
On April 4, Trump announced a list of tariffs and declared it was "Liberation Day." After the announcement, countries around the globe had mixed reactions. Some looked to negotiate a better deal with the U.S., while others, like China, wanted to retaliate.
China imposed a 34% reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports and has vowed "fight to the end" and said it would not give in to tariff threats, which it says is "blackmail," according to Reuters.
U.S. President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping during the G20 leaders’ summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo / Reuters)
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The Trump administration said that China’s non-market policies and practices have given Beijing "global dominance in key manufacturing industries." The administration also accused China of "decimating U.S. industry."
Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers are reportedly warning that profits could drop and are apparently trying to plan for new plants overseas, according to Reuters.