White House Confirms 104 Percent Tariffs on China Will Take Effect April 9

The Trump administration will impose a 104 percent tariff rate on China at 12:01 a.m. on April 9.

President Donald Trump threatened to implement an additional 50 percent levy on the Chinese regime if it failed to reverse its 34 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods.

Speaking to reporters at a press briefing on April 8, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the president’s higher levies will take effect tonight.

“It was a mistake for China to retaliate to the president. When America is punched, he punches back harder,” Leavitt said. “That’s why there will be 104 percent tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.”

She said if Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other officials contact the White House to discuss trade, Trump is prepared to talk.

“He’ll be incredibly gracious, but he’s going to do what’s best for the American people,” Leavitt said, stopping short of providing details on what Beijing could do to stop the tariffs from taking effect.

Beijing has vowed to keep its retaliatory measures.

So far, Trump has imposed 20 percent tariffs on China over illegal drug exports and a 34 percent reciprocal levy.

Echoing senior administration officials, Leavitt noted that countries like China that have decided to retaliate and “double down on their mistreatment of American workers are making a mistake.”

“President Trump has a spine of steel, and he will not break, and America will not break,” she said.