Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday whether the administration can be certain that they are not “wrong” about the upcoming tariffs.
President Donald Trump has dubbed April 2 as “Liberation Day,” on which he intends to impose additional tariffs to make the U.S. less dependent on foreign goods. While the president met with his trade and tariff team, Doocy asked the press secretary if the administration can be confident that the tariffs will benefit Americans.
“And you said that the president is, right now, is with the trade and tariff team. They are very confident that this is all going to work. But what if they’re wrong?” Doocy asked.
“They’re not going to be wrong, they are going to work,” Leavitt said. “And the president has a brilliant team of advisers who have been studying these issues for decades and we are focused on restoring the golden age of America and making America a manufacturing superpower.”
“And again, Peter, I would point you to the investments that have already trickled into this country and the president hasn’t even made his tariff announcement yet,” Leavitt continued. “There have been billions of dollars in private investments from around the world pouring into American communities. What does that look like for the people watching at home, for the people you mentioned who are worried about their own economic circumstances? It means more jobs in your communities, which means more money, more investments, more money in your pocket. That’s what the president is committed to.”
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Doocy further asked whether the president has spoken to Americans who are stressed by the “tariff uncertainty” that is impacting the stock market. Leavitt said Americans have “legitimate concerns” about the stock market, and that Trump’s tariffs will “protect future generations” by ensuring that there are manufacturing jobs available on U.S. soil.
“Tomorrow’s announcement is to protect future generations. Of the senior citizens you mentioned, it’s for their kids and their grandkids to ensure that there are jobs here in the United States of America for their children to live the American Dream just like they presumably did,” Leavitt said.
The president plans to impose import taxes, including “reciprocal” tariffs to match the rates charged by other countries and account for their subsidies. The president further announced an additional 25% tariff on imported cars and essential automobile parts, which is set to take effect April 2, in order to return car manufacturing to the U.S.
In March, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, along with a 50% tax on Canadian steel and aluminum. The president cited the neighboring nations’ roles in allowing the illegal immigration crisis and the fentanyl epidemic to plague the U.S. Trump postponed the tariffs on Mexico until April 2 following a March 6 phone call between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
When Trump first announced his tariff plan in February, the Mexican president deployed 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, while then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established a Fentanyl Czar in exchange for a pause on the tariffs.
The president also hit China with 20% tariffs for its role in the fentanyl epidemic ravaging the U.S.
In addition to Canada, Mexico and China, Trump has considered imposing tariffs on South Korea, India, the European Union and Brazil, along with any country that imports oil from Venezuela, according to PBS News. He further plans to impose taxes on imported copper, pharmaceutical drugs and lumber.
The president said the U.S. has been ripped off by foreign nations because it imports more goods than exports, PBS News reported.
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