In a bold move, Kevin O’Leary, the Canadian businessman and star of the reality show “Shark Tank,” has urged former President Donald Trump to impose a staggering 400% tariff on Chinese imports.
In a CNN appearance, O’Leary criticized the current tariffs as insufficient and called for a more aggressive approach to compel China to negotiate over intellectual property theft and unfair trade practices.
O’Leary, known for his blunt opinions, stated that the existing 104% tariffs are not enough to address the systemic issues posed by China. He believes that a significant increase in tariffs would pressure the Chinese government to engage in serious discussions regarding their trade practices.
“It’s time to squeeze Chinese heads into the wall now!” O’Leary said in comments reflecting a growing frustration among U.S. business leaders regarding intellectual property violations and unfair competition from Chinese firms.
“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
He expressed a desire to see Chinese President Xi Jinping come to Washington to negotiate directly, stating, “I want Xi on an airplane to Washington to level the playing field.” He believes that the U.S. must take a firmer stance against China, which he accuses of not adhering to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
He further argued that the U.S. economy, which constitutes a significant portion of global GDP, holds the leverage needed to compel China to change its practices. O’Leary stated, “If we wipe out any business there, America is the number one economy on Earth with all the cards.”
“Nobody has taken on China yet. Not the Europeans. No administration for decades,” O’Leary said. “Xi can only stay the Supreme Leader if people are employed.”
“If we wipe out any business there — because we are still 39% of all consumables on Earth and 25% of the world’s GDP — America is the number one economy on Earth with all the cards.”
He added, “We will not have that forever. It’s time to squeeze Chinese heads into the wall now!”
Trump initially proposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, which has since escalated to over 100%. In response, China has raised its tariffs on U.S. goods from 34% to 84%, leading to a tit-for-tat trade war. The announcement of new tariffs has caused significant volatility in global markets, with major indices experiencing sharp declines, but O’Leary wants Trump to stand his ground. His vision extends beyond mere tariffs.
