Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said President Trump’s prospective conversation with China’s leaders over recent tariffs will be “interesting to watch.”
“This is going to be interesting to watch. I think what Trump is going to say is, ‘look, I’m serious about this. Look what I did to Canada. Look what I did Mexico,’” Mulvaney, a NewsNation contributor, said Monday during an appearance on “The Hill.”
He added that Trump’s aggressive approach to trade relations with neighboring countries who have long been allies with the U.S. should signal his willingness to hold a nation considered to be an adversary at higher stakes.
Trump, according to Mulvaney, will likely note to China’s government: “‘Those are our friends. You know, we could do a lot more if you want to. Let’s not go down this road. Let’s figure out a way to get a deal early. But if not, yeah, 10 percent is just the beginning.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said the president would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping within the “next couple of days.”
In recent weeks, the president has argued that high tariffs will help curb the flow of illegal drugs and immigration while boosting border security — with buy-in from foreign leaders.
“China hopefully is going to stop sending us fentanyl, and if they’re not, the tariffs are going to go substantially higher,” Trump said Monday following his move to impose a 10 percent duty on imported goods from the Asian country.
The measure is set to take effect on Tuesday.
“China will be dealt with,” the president affirmed to reporters.
The Chinese government followed suit with countermeasures Tuesday, imposing a 15 percent tariff on liquefied natural gas and coal in addition to a 10 percent tariff on crude oil, pickup trucks, agricultural machinery and large-displacement cars.
Economists are waiting to see how a future discussion between Trump and Xi will impact foreign trade agreements.
“I think this is going to be a much firmer and much more interesting conversation,” Mulvaney said in the interview Monday.
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