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Trump brags world leaders are ‘kissing my a**’ and celebrates ‘great Hannibal Lecter’ at NRCC dinner
‘Please, Sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, Sir,’ Trump mocked just hours before his sweeping reciprocal tariffs were imposed
Mary Papenfuss
in San Francisco,James Liddell
Wednesday 09 April 2025 10:10 BST
Trump mocks world leaders as he claims they're begging for deal on tariffs
Donald Trump has claimed world leaders panicked by his gargantuan global tariffs are “kissing my a**” in desperate bids to reduce the levies.
The president made the bold remark during a 90-minute address as he attempted to court political donors at the National Republican Congressional Committe’s annual fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday evening.
“These countries are calling us up, kissing my a**” to negotiate deals on tariffs, Trump said just hours before his reciprocal duties went into effect against dozens of nations just after midnight on Wednesday, including a 104 percent levy on Chinese imports.
“They are,” he emphasized. “They are dying to make a deal.”
The president went on to mock the tariff-deal supplicants, pretending to be them as he pitifully pleaded in a simpering voice: “Please, Sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, Sir.”
allegedly attempting to cozy up to him.
Despite Trump’s claims, a number of countries including China and Canada are launching counter-tariffs on U.S. goods.
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President Donald Trump was speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. (REUTERS)
Markets around the globe continued their sell-off Tuesday that began when Trump sparked his trade war when he announced the duties against every nation – bar Russia – in his “Liberation Day” last week.
Trump, however, bragged that he had the “most successful 100 days in the history of this country.”
According to the president, the stage is now “set for a monumental victory for the Republicans in the midterms” on account of his policies. Most mainstream economists and business experts argue they will supercharge inflation and threaten America’s status as the world’s leading economy with a grievous self-inflicted wound.
Trump maintains that he is correct and everyone else is wrong about the dangers of tariffs.
“I know what the hell I'm doing,” he told the audience. “I know what I'm doing, and you know what I'm doing too.”
Trump also ripped into rebel Republicans who are attempting to give Congress the ability to block his tariffs. It includes at least a dozen House Republicans who are weighing their support for Nebraska Representative Don Bacon’s bill to limit the president's tariffs to 60 days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval.
open image in gallery
Markets around the globe continued their sell-off Tuesday that began when Trump sparked his trade war when he announced the duties against every nation – bar Russia – in his “Liberation Day” last week.
Trump, however, bragged that he had the “most successful 100 days in the history of this country.”
According to the president, the stage is now “set for a monumental victory for the Republicans in the midterms” on account of his policies. Most mainstream economists and business experts argue they will supercharge inflation and threaten America’s status as the world’s leading economy with a grievous self-inflicted wound.
Trump maintains that he is correct and everyone else is wrong about the dangers of tariffs.
“I know what the hell I'm doing,” he told the audience. “I know what I'm doing, and you know what I'm doing too.”
Trump also ripped into rebel Republicans who are attempting to give Congress the ability to block his tariffs. It includes at least a dozen House Republicans who are weighing their support for Nebraska Representative Don Bacon’s bill to limit the president's tariffs to 60 days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval.
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Trump brought back one of his more unusual references from his 2024 campaign, the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Getty Images)
“I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don't negotiate like I negotiate,” he told the audience.
“I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen sir,” Trump continued, gesturing into the crowd. “‘I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs.’ Oh that's what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.”
He said that the Chinese would be the “happiest people in the world,” arguing that Congress would terminate duties on goods imported from China.
The president also warned of impending tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals in an effort to bully companies into moving production to the U.S.
Trump also resurfaced one of his more unusual remarks from the 2024 campaign trail about the fictional serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter, before making a segue into a tirade about illegal migration at the U.S. southern border.
“They used to go crazy when I talked about... The late, great Hannibal Lecter. Right?,” he said. “Why does he talk about that? He’s a fictional character.” He’s not. We have many of them that came across the border. He’s actually not.”
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“I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don't negotiate like I negotiate,” he told the audience.
“I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen sir,” Trump continued, gesturing into the crowd. “‘I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs.’ Oh that's what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.”
He said that the Chinese would be the “happiest people in the world,” arguing that Congress would terminate duties on goods imported from China.
The president also warned of impending tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals in an effort to bully companies into moving production to the U.S.
Trump also resurfaced one of his more unusual remarks from the 2024 campaign trail about the fictional serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter, before making a segue into a tirade about illegal migration at the U.S. southern border.
“They used to go crazy when I talked about... The late, great Hannibal Lecter. Right?,” he said. “Why does he talk about that? He’s a fictional character.” He’s not. We have many of them that came across the border. He’s actually not.”
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Trump’s tariffs came into effect just after midnight on Wednesday (AP)
He continued: “But when the people went to the voting booth, then we understood why he talked about that because they voted for us. They say, “We don’t want Hannibal Lecter in our country.”
For many leaders, the White House hasn’t bothered to respond to their phone calls to even schedule talks, Politico reported Tuesday. In addition, Trump officials haven’t yet even indicated what specific concessions they’re seeking.
None of Trump’s top officials “have a mandate to negotiate,” one foreign diplomat who requested anonymity said.
“I’m not sure … how receptive” the administration is to “meet with counterparts. Many of us have already written to them asking for meetings,” said an official from the Philippines. “We are all waiting for the reply,” they added, referring to representatives of several Southeast Asian countries.
It’s unclear where the Trump administration stands on the tariffs, whose cost will be largely paid by American consumers in the form of higher prices for foreign goods.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News Tuesday that the tariffs are “negotiable but not a negotiating tactic.” Trump said Monday that there could be both “permanent tariffs and there could also be negotiations.”
He continued: “But when the people went to the voting booth, then we understood why he talked about that because they voted for us. They say, “We don’t want Hannibal Lecter in our country.”
For many leaders, the White House hasn’t bothered to respond to their phone calls to even schedule talks, Politico reported Tuesday. In addition, Trump officials haven’t yet even indicated what specific concessions they’re seeking.
None of Trump’s top officials “have a mandate to negotiate,” one foreign diplomat who requested anonymity said.
“I’m not sure … how receptive” the administration is to “meet with counterparts. Many of us have already written to them asking for meetings,” said an official from the Philippines. “We are all waiting for the reply,” they added, referring to representatives of several Southeast Asian countries.
It’s unclear where the Trump administration stands on the tariffs, whose cost will be largely paid by American consumers in the form of higher prices for foreign goods.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News Tuesday that the tariffs are “negotiable but not a negotiating tactic.” Trump said Monday that there could be both “permanent tariffs and there could also be negotiations.”
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