President Donald Trump appealed to Americans’ patriotism in the trade conflict with China, as he said he didn’t believe the FBI should delve into allegations against Brett Kavanaugh and met with Poland’s president at the White House.

‘THESE PEOPLE ARE GREAT PATRIOTS’

Trump on Twitter both warned China against taking retaliatory action as well as expressed hope that Americans would rally to his side if it did. Beijing has responded to Trump’s imposing $200 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods by announcing it would take retaliatory tariff action against $60 billion of American goods.

“China has openly stated that they are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers, ranchers and industrial workers because of their loyalty to me,” the president tweeted Tuesday.

“What China does not understand is that these people are great patriots and fully understand that China has been taking advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They also know that I am the one that knows how to stop it. There will be great and fast economic retaliation against China if our farmers, ranchers and/or industrial workers are targeted!”

In comments alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda in the Oval Office, Trump said the U.S. “will probably have no choice” but to impose another $267 billion in duties on Chinese goods. He held out the prospect for cooperation, however, saying “we may make a deal at some point.”

Investors shrugged off trade tensions on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.78% jumping by more than 185 points. The U.S. did reduce the planned tariff rate on Chinese goods, and China did the same for its retaliatory action.

Read: Trump to impose another $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods.

KAVANAUGH COMMENTS

Trump said he didn’t think the FBI should look into the sexual-assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has forwarded an allegation by Christine Blasey Ford to the FBI. Ford alleges sexual assault by Kavanaugh when they were in high school, a charge that the judge denies.

“I don’t think the FBI should be involved because they don’t want to be involved,” Trump said. “If they wanted to be, I would certainly do that. But as you know they say this is not really their thing.” The committee will hold a hearing next week with both Kavanaugh and Ford.

In later comments, Trump said Kavanaugh “is not a man who deserves this” and that the president felt “so badly for him.”

He also blasted Feinstein for sitting on the accusation for months. “Why didn’t she bring this up then?”

See:Kavanaugh and his accuser to testify before Senate committee next Monday.