Chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the US may issue a "list of suggestions" as to what policies and practices it would like to see China change in order to keep the tariffs from going into effect.

He said this is under consideration, but has not yet been decided.

Kudlow said the tariffs that the President has signed off on and foreshadowed are aimed at getting China to change its behavior.

The $50 billion in tariffs that Trump authorized will not go into effect for several months, and Kudlow made clear he hopes China and the US can resolve their issues through negotiation before they go into effect.

Still, he said China should know that the tariffs are not a bluff.

"Right now, we have no tariffs," Kudlow said. "If need be, if China remains in violation...I believe the President will use tariffs."

The problem here is China, not Trump," he said.

Kudlow said Trump issued his additional threat Thursday evening of $100 billion in tariffs because China's retaliatory response to the $50 billion tariffs was "highly unsatisfactory."