White House defends tariffs ahead of ‘Liberation Day’published at 18:55 British Summer Time
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
Just a few moments ago, we heard from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who addressed reporters outside the West Wing.
In brief question-and-answer session with US and foreign reporters, Leavitt was asked whether there is anything countries can do to stave off the impending tariffs.
“Unfortunately, these countries have been ripping our country off for far too long,” she said. “They’ve made, I think, their disdain for these the American worker quite clear.”
She gave several examples, including a 50% EU tariff on American dairy, a 700% Japanese tariff on American rice and a 100% tariff in India on American agriculture products.
“This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be imported into these markets, and it has put a lot of Americans out of business,” Leavitt said.
She added that there are “no exemptions at this time”.
Leavitt declined to get into specifics of the impending announcement – which will take place on Wednesday in the Rose Garden of the White House – and repeatedly said she did not want to get ahead of President Donald Trump on the matter.
Additionally, Leavitt downplayed concerns about the stock market, which has seen some downward movement on Monday, saying that Wall Street will be “just fine”.
A few minutes before she came to speak to a group of us reporters, Leavitt appeared on Fox News.
She was asked about automakers’ concerns over Trump’s impending tariffs.
Leavitt says the president is pushing forward, because Trump “doesn’t want American industries to survive, he wants them to thrive”.
“(The tariffs) will implement trillions and trillions of dollars back to the United States of America, and we’ve already seen these investments pouring in,” Leavitt said, referring to an announcement from South Koeran car-maker Hyundai, which said it will build a new steel plant in Louisiana.
“More investments means more jobs, more prosperity,” she said.
We’ll hear from Trump at an executive order signing later today at 1730 EST (2130 GMT).