Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Goes Off On China’s Regime Amid Tariff Escalations [WATCH]

Real estate investor and “Shark Tank” personality Kevin O’Leary is strongly backing President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policy against China, arguing that the administration’s 104 percent tariffs are not only justified but should be increased.

O’Leary made his position clear during multiple media appearances this week, calling for a dramatic escalation in the trade crackdown on Beijing.

Speaking on CNN earlier in the week, O’Leary declared that he supports a 400 percent tariff on Chinese imports, citing decades of intellectual property theft, unfair trade practices, and China’s failure to comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

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“104 percent tariffs against China are not enough. I’m advocating 400 percent,” O’Leary said.

“I do business in China. They don’t play by the rules. They’ve been in the WTO for decades. They have never abided by any of the rules they agreed to when they came in. They cheat, they steal, they steal IP, I can’t litigate in their courts.”

O’Leary reiterated this position on MSNBC Thursday during an interview with José Díaz-Balart, where the two engaged in a back-and-forth about the impact of Trump’s tariff policies.

O’Leary again placed blame squarely on the Chinese Communist Party.

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“It’s the government. They cheat, they steal, they don’t play by the rules, and I’ve had enough,” he told Díaz-Balart. “I don’t care about the volatility. I don’t care if Trump ratchets it up 25 percent a day.”

Díaz-Balart pushed back, questioning whether such aggressive measures might have a negative effect on American consumers.

“Wait, wait, wait, Kevin. What do you mean you don’t care about volatility if volatility has a direct impact on us as the consumers?”

O’Leary held firm, arguing that the long-term costs of inaction far outweigh any short-term disruptions.

“Because we have to fix this problem once and for all. It’s killing us. It’s killing small business in America. It’s killing large businesses. All the IP these guys steal… you’re gonna find source code from American companies back four decades ago. These guys don’t play by the rules.”

He criticized not just China but also Western governments for allowing these practices to continue for years.

“It’s enough. We’ve got to solve this problem,” he said.

“Now, if we have to squeeze Chinese heads to the wall, so be it.”

O’Leary argued that the U.S. holds significant leverage in a trade dispute with China, pointing out the country’s reliance on its export economy and the need to maintain domestic stability under President Xi Jinping’s leadership.

“You’ve got Xi. He’s the supreme leader for life. What keeps him in power? Keeping his people employed and fed. Now, when you shut down a factory… you put tens of thousands of people unemployed in China. They take burning torches… up to the castle. That’s a bad outcome for the supreme leader,” O’Leary said.

He emphasized America’s position as the largest consumer market in the world.

“What’s the largest consumer market on Earth? The United States. Almost 40 percent of all goods consumed worldwide. What’s the largest GDP? 25 or 26 percent of the world? The United States of America. China needs the United States.”

O’Leary concluded by saying the time to act is now, and that temporary economic discomfort is worth it if it results in trade fairness and respect for international rules.

“We can squeeze Chinese — talking about the government, not the people — to comply with the laws and get a level playing field… I don’t care if it takes a little volatility, a little indigestion, a little acid reflux.”

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