‘Why Are You Saying Tariffs Are Not In Effect?’ CNN Anchor Battles GOP Congressman Defending Trump Trade War Backlash
CNN anchor Brianna Keilar pushed back on Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA) after he downplayed the economic effect of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, insisting the consequences thus far are more “perceived” than “real.”
Meuser discussed Trump’s first 100 days in office and the backlash shown in polling to his trade war and the hits its taken on markets.
Meuser touted the Trump administration’s efforts on the southern border and more while saying his tariffs “have not gone into effect yet.”
“The results of perceived and prospective tariffs have not gone into effect yet, but the regulations that have been reduced under this administration already, the energy policy, the fact that we secured the border, the fact that fentanyl is now no longer coming in. It was coming in in droves, tons during the Biden administration. They did nothing about it,” he said.
“Why are you saying tariffs are not in effect?” Keilar asked.
“Because we did a 90 day pause on them and of course with China there is, but we’re managing the situation,” Meuser responded.
“They’re still at 10%,” Keilar shot back.
“Most of them were at 10% during the Biden administration,” Meuser countered.
“China’s the biggest trading partner. That’s like the Big Kahuna right there,” Keilar noted.
Trump signed a 90-day pause on his reciprocal tariffs on a number of countries, but he has imposed steep tariffs on China, which has in turn responded with their own tariffs. Uncertainty has mounted amid Trump’s new trade negotiations and led to the stock market taken multiple big hits, as well. Trump’s treasury secretary said on Tuesday that the president is creating “strategic uncertainty.”
Meuser argued:
Brianna, we have not experienced any inflation any inflation as of yet — again, it’s at 2.4% — because of the perceived and some of the tariffs that have already gone into effect. I’m going to grant you that. I’m not going to argue that point, that the tariffs triggered a sell off within the markets and certainly have sent a rattle through the economy. The president wanted to fix this problem. He got the world’s attention. He’s got over 170 nations already coming in to talk about real trade deals. And China is waking up to the fact that they need to also come to the table.
“There are effects of tariffs. I know you’re saying there aren’t any, but there are,” Keilar said, noting grocery prices have continued to largely rise.
“They’re more perceived than real at this moment in time,” Meuser said.
“We’re going to leave it there. They are in effect,” Keilar reiterated, closing out the interview. “I just don’t want to leave our viewers with the impression that they are not in effect. There is a pause on the so-called reciprocal tariffs, but they’re still at 10%, and China is still very, very, very high.”
Watch above via CNN.
