Donald Trump said he would impose a 100% tariff on cars made in Mexico by Chinese companies, double the tax he previously said he would impose on cars made south of the US border.
Trump addressed Chinese President Xi Jinping directly during a rally speech in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday, threatening tariffs.
“These huge monster car factories that you’re building in Mexico now, and you think you’re going to get it, rather than hiring Americans and going to sell the car to us, no,” Trump said. “We’re going to impose a 100 percent tariff on every car that comes into the parking lot.”
He continued by saying that if he doesn’t win the US presidential election this year, it will be a “bloodbath”.
Earlier this month, Trump threatened to impose a 50 percent tariff on Chinese cars. He also proposed tariffs of 60% on all Chinese goods and 10% on goods produced anywhere in the world. He said he was not concerned about retaliation from China or other countries.
“You are deceiving us, and we are deceiving you,” he said. “It’s very simple and very honest.”
Trump announced his Republican nomination Tuesday night, allowing him to focus his full attention on his rematch with President Joe Biden in November. Biden won enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination on Tuesday.
The former president, despite four criminal cases, has only tightened his grip on the Republican Party during his third tenure in the White House. The Republican National Committee is now led by three close allies, including his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair. More than 60 employees were laid off in the shakeup on Monday.
Trump’s rally on Saturday brought him to the once traditional swing state, where his populist message brought him easy victories in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Ohio also faces Senate elections this year that will be critical to Democrats’ hopes of retaining control of the House. In the state’s March 19 primary, Republicans face a three-way battle to find a candidate to take on Democrat Sherrod Brown in the general election.
Trump has endorsed tech executive Bernie Moreno for the Senate seat, putting him at odds with Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who has endorsed Matt Dolan, a moderate who has not sought Trump’s support. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is also running.
Moreno, who attended Saturday’s rally, called Trump a “great American.” Trump also criticized Dolan, calling him “the next Mitt Romney” and saying he supports “woke leftist lunatics.”
Trump demonstrated his influence over Ohio Republicans in the Senate race two years ago when he endorsed J.D. Vance, leading him to a sweeping victory in the GOP primary and victory in the general election.