US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Apr 8) mocked world leaders for seeking to make a trade deal with America and remarked, "These countries are calling us up, kissing my ass."
'You don't negotiate like I negotiate,' boasts Trump
Addressing a fundraising gala for House Republicans on Tuesday night, Trump mocked world leaders, both allies and others, and mimicking what they supposedly sound like, said: "Please, please sir make a deal. I'll do anything. I'll do anything, sir."
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The Republican president then went on to mock rebels from his party who have suggested that Congress should take over the tariff negotiations and commented, "Let me tell you, you don't negotiate like I negotiate."
He also announced that major tariffs on pharma would come soon.
"Tariffs on pharma will be there because we don't make our own pharma drugs, they are made in another countries."
"Same packet in the US...sometime is price 10-times more," claimed Trump.
"We are going to tariff pharma in such a way that companies will come rushing to us very soon. The advantage we have is, we are very big market. Very shortly, will announce major tariffs on pharma and when these companies hear that, they will leave China and other countries because most of their products are sold here. And they will be opening their plants here," he added.
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'I know what the hell I'm doing': Trump
With his hardline reciprocal tariffs set to begin, Trump insisted that he knows "what the hell I'm doing".
"Many countries have — they've ripped us off left and right. But now it's our turn to do the ripping," he said.
Labelling high tariff nations like India "trade cheaters", he said, "I'm proud to be the President for the workers, not the outsourcers; the President who stands up for Main Street, not Wall Street; who protects the middle class, not the political class; and who defends America, not trade cheaters all over the globe."
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Earlier in the day, while signing an executive order on coal production, he claimed, "These are tailored, highly tailored deals. Right now, Japan is flying here to make a deal. South Korea is flying here to make a deal. And others are flying here".
(With inputs from agencies)