Trump vents over missing China tariffs: report

President Trump earlier this month accused some of his top economic advisers of being “globalists” who were resisting his agenda, Axios reported on Sunday.

During John Kelly’s first week as White House chief of staff, the former Homeland Security secretary called a meeting to discuss the administration’s plans to investigate China for stealing U.S. intellectual property and technology.

“For the last six months, this same group of geniuses comes in here all the time and I tell them, ‘Tariffs. I want tariffs.’ And what do they do? They bring me IP. I can’t put a tariff on IP,” Trump reportedly told Kelly during the meeting.

{mosads} “China is laughing at us. Laughing.”

Also attending the meeting — the account of which was confirmed to Axios by anonymous sources — were U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, senior trade adviser Peter Navarro, top economic adviser Gary Cohn, staff secretary Rob Porter and Trump’s former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who was ousted not long after.

“John, let me tell you why they didn’t bring me any tariffs,” Trump said. “I know there are some people in the room right now that are upset. I know there are some globalists in the room right now. And they don’t want them, John. They don’t want the tariffs. But I’m telling you, I want tariffs.”

Kelly eventually ended the meeting, assuring Trump the group would work things out and reconvene later.

“The president has been very clear about his agenda as it relates to trade,” a White House official told Axios. “Discussions pertaining to specific tariffs and trade deals are ongoing and have already resulted in many positive developments.”