Karoline Leavitt takes down AP reporter
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confronted an AP reporter to his face during a heated exchange over President Donald Trump's tariffs that he's using as a negotiation strategy.
The AP reporter suggested that Trump's tariffs will result in tax increases for the American people. Leavitt put her foot down at this moment, saying: “Not true... Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people... The President is a staunch advocate of tax cuts. He campaigned on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security benefits."
The reporter said in return: "I’m sorry, have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have."
That's when Leavitt suggested he was being insulting, and said: “Ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again... I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press.”
The AP reporter suggested that Trump's tariffs will result in tax increases for the American people. Leavitt put her foot down at this moment, saying: “Not true... Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people... The President is a staunch advocate of tax cuts. He campaigned on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security benefits."
The reporter said in return: "I’m sorry, have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have."
That's when Leavitt suggested he was being insulting, and said: “Ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again... I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press.”
