Kevin O’Leary has been on fire lately with his defense of Trump’s trade war with China and didn’t hold back during his MSNBC interview with José Díaz-Balart, which turned what was supposed to be a conversation into a verbal shellacking. Frustrated by the long-standing failures of Western governments to rein in China’s abusive trade practices, the “Shark Tank” star and investor delivered a fiery takedown that left Díaz-Balart flat-footed.
“It’s the government. They cheat, they steal, they don’t play by the rules, and I’ve had enough,” O’Leary said. “I don’t care about the volatility. I don’t care if Trump ratchets it up 25% a day.”
Díaz-Balart jumped in, confused by O’Leary’s apparent disregard for economic instability. “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 wasn’t fazed. “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 blamed successive U.S. and European administrations for failing to address China’s economic belligerence. “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.”
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As Díaz-Balart tried to reframe the conversation with historical context about China’s totalitarian past, O’Leary shot back, “You’re telling me that this is okay? You’re happy with this? You’re good with it?”
The host backed off quickly, saying, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. On the contrary.”
O’Leary laid out his solution: “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.”
He pointed out the United States’ unique leverage: “What’s the largest consumer market on Earth? The United States. Almost 40% of all goods consumed worldwide. What’s the largest GDP? 25 or 26% of the world? The United States of America. China needs the United States.”
That, according to O’Leary, is why the U.S. must act now. “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.”
He also railed against the unfair competition Chinese companies present on U.S. markets: “They steal the IP, they manufacture it there, they sell it back into this market. I’m not okay with it anymore.”
O’Leary welcomed the confirmation of Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission, noting that it signaled a possible shift in enforcement. “Start delisting these Chinese companies,” he demanded. “Why should I have to compete with them?”
And his final message to Washington? “Squeeze them, squeeze them, squeeze them… until they start complying. That’s what I want.”
🔥WOW: Kevin O'Leary ERUPTS at MSNBC host who tries (and FAILS) to PIN HIM for applauding President Trump's pressure campaign against China!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 10, 2025
"They cheat, they steal. They don't play by the rules. And I've had enough!"
"I don't care about the volatility. I don't care if Trump… pic.twitter.com/eRZ4wjAetK
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