President Donald Trump has a strong urge to put taxes on some imports into the US, a new report said.

According to Axios’ Jonathan Swan, Trump repeatedly asked new chief of staff John Kelly during a recent meeting for tariffs on goods coming into the US.

Trump has signed a few declaratory orders on trade, including one to investigate Chinese theft of American intellectual property on August 14.

But according to the report, Trump told Kelly and a meeting of other Cabinet members that he wants harsher penalties.

“So, John, I want you to know, this is my view,” Trump said, per Axios. “I want tariffs. And I want someone to bring me some tariffs.”

Tariffs, or taxes on imported goods, are favoured by many on Trump’s team as a way to support the production of materials in the US. Economists, however, have argued that tariffs could kick off a trade war and ultimately push the US economy into a recession.

For instance, when it was reported in June that Trump wanted to put a tariff on imported steel, members of the European Union reportedly were set to strike back with tariffs on US exports of agricultural products.

“John, let me tell you why they didn’t bring me any tariffs,” Trump said in the meeting. “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.”

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