President Donald Trump joked Friday about rejecting a kiss from a Georgia steel executive grateful for his tariffs policy. The comment came during a White House briefing where Trump defended his trade measures after a Supreme Court ruling against his emergency tariff powers.

Speaking to reporters, Trump described his Thursday visit to a Coosa Steel factory in Georgia. ‘I said to the owner, how’s business?’ Trump recalled. The CEO, Andrew Saville, replied he wanted to kiss Trump because tariffs had revived his struggling company from one hour a week to double shifts around the clock, Trump said.

‘This is a very powerful man. I don’t want to be kissed by that man,’ Trump added. He quoted Saville as saying, ‘Sir, I want to kiss you so badly!’ Trump responded, ‘No, thank you.’

The exchange built on earlier remarks that day. During a photo opportunity at the plant, Saville praised the tariffs as a game changer. Trump noted Saville wanted to give him a big hug but held back with reporters present. Later in a speech, Trump escalated the anecdote, telling the crowd Saville had said, ‘President, if I didn’t have all these cameras running, I would grab you and start kissing you violently!’

Saville took the stage briefly, calling Trump ‘Mr. President.’ Trump replied, ‘Wow, good man.’

The humor traced back to Thursday morning at a White House ‘Board of Peace’ event. Trump praised Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña as a ‘young, handsome guy.’ He quickly added, ‘It’s always nice to be young and handsome. Doesn’t mean we have to like you. I don’t like young, handsome men. Women, I like. Men, I don’t have any interest.’

Trump has repeatedly touted tariffs’ benefits for U.S. steelmakers. Saville’s father founded Coosa Steel, which Trump said was in ‘big trouble’ two years ago until tariffs blocked foreign imports. Now, the company runs seven days a week and eyes 24-hour operations, according to Trump’s account.

Friday’s briefing focused on the Supreme Court decision striking down Trump’s emergency tariff regime. Trump used the steel executive’s story to underscore the policy’s impact. Officials with the administration have cited similar success stories from steel and aluminum sectors since tariffs took effect in 2018.

Saville confirmed the tariffs’ role in an exchange captured by reporters. ‘It’s been a game changer,’ he said Thursday.

Trump’s riffing drew laughs from audiences but highlighted his ongoing pushback against critics of the trade barriers. The president has argued tariffs protect American jobs amid complaints from industries facing higher input costs.