Monday, July 07, 2025

Lutnick Steps in After Trump Appears Clueless on Tariffs

President Donald Trump's commerce secretary had to step in after he appeared lost on the latest development in his sprawling trade war. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump announced that the administration would be sending out about a dozen letters throughout the week warning other countries that tariffs will be reinstated if they don't close a trade deal soon. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier in the day that the tariffs would come back into effect on Aug. 1, effectively extending the original July 9 deadline. When a reporter asked Trump when the tariff rates would change"if at all"the president didn't seem to have a clue.

Comments

More: "What are you talking about?" he said, prompting the reporter to repeat herself. "They're going to be tariffs. The tariffs are going to be the tariffs. I think we'll have most countries done by July 9, either a letter or a deal."

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick then swooped in to clarify: "Tariffs go into effect Aug. 1, but the president is setting the rates and the deals right now."

#1 | Posted by qcp at 2025-07-07 10:48 AM

25th Amendment for Sleepy Don

#2 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-07-07 11:28 AM

@#1 ... the president is setting the rates and the deals right now. ...

Sending a letter to a country unilaterally setting tariff rates for that country is not a "deal," it is a dictum.

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-07-07 12:13 PM

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