Hoo Boy: Kevin O'Leary Lights Up the Chinese, Explains Why They Don't Want to Play These Tariff Games

President Donald Trump has now dropped a 104 percent tariff on China after they opted to play retaliatory games.

But Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary explained on CNN why that wasn't enough and how China really doesn't want to be going down that road.

"Xi can only stay the Supreme Leader if people are employed."

"America is the #1 economy on earth with all the cards. We will not have that forever. It's time to squeeze Chinese heads into the wall."

Kevin O'Leary calls for 400% tariffs on China. pic.twitter.com/8bDrttjsBw
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) April 9, 2025

“104 percent tariffs in China are not enough. I’m advocating 400 percent,” he said.

“I do business in China. They don’t play by the rules,” continued O’Leary, who is also the chairman of O’Shares Investment and private-equity firm O’Leary Ventures. “They’ve been in the World Trade Organization for decades. They have never abided by any of the rules they agreed to when they came in for decades. They cheat, they steal, they steal [intellectual property]. I can’t litigate in their courts. They take product technology, they steal it, they manufacture it and sell it back here,” he said.

O'Leary explained this wasn't about tariffs anymore but about how no one has taken on China for decades while they behaved badly — no one, until Trump.

"As someone who actually does business there, I've had enough," O'Leary said, saying he spoke for "millions of Americans." He said finally, with Trump there was an administration who was saying "enough."

O'Leary said we had all the cards and Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader should be on a plane here to work it out because "Xi can only stay the Supreme Leader if people are employed." He didn't hold back, "It's time to squeeze Chinese heads into the wall."

China may end up getting there themselves. The latest from China is that they are going to raise their 34 percent tariffs to 84 percent on Thursday. But at the same time, they were calling for "dialogue" with the U.S.

Translation? They're trying to play tough but looking for a way out. They're used to dealing with Joe Biden; they don't know how to respond to Trump. They're putting out things like dumb meme videos, but that's not helping their cause.

WH Confirms Huge Midnight Tariff on China—'When America Is Punched,' Trump 'Punches Back Harder'

“They are the worst offenders in the international trading system. ... I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said to Fox Business. He also said that nothing was off the table in their options for a response when asked about the possible removal of Chinese stocks from the U.S. exchanges. But he said responses would be up to Trump.

.@SecScottBessent: "I think it's unfortunate that the Chinese actually don't want to come and negotiate because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system... And I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them." pic.twitter.com/dtk2w6TJES
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 9, 2025

The more China drags it out, the worse it will get for them, the more they will go under. They ought to take O'Leary's advice and get to the table. Bessent said ultimately he thought it would be resolved between Trump and Xi.

Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.

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