Politics

Karoline Leavitt Brings The Receipts, Exposes Allies’ Sky-High Tariffs On U.S. Goods

Published

5 days ago

April 1, 2025

On the eve of President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated “Liberation Day,” the date when he is expected to launch a flurry of new tariffs intended to level the trade U.S. deficit with foreign nations, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back aggressively on media claims that they will only lead to consumer pain and higher prices.

Waving the receipts, Leavitt spoke in depth about some of the most egregious examples of U.S. goods being taxed at a higher rate by other countries. She cited a 700% markup on rice being imported to Japan and a 300% tariff in Canada on American butter and cheese.

“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 and out of work over the past several decades,” she declared.

One Washington Post headline on Tuesday — “Trump aides draft tariff plans as some experts warn of economic damage” — summed up the narrative that outlets are spinning ahead of President Trump’s economic upheaval. Most goods being imported into the U.S. will face a 20% tariff, according to details about the plans shared by sources.

The outlet writes that the tariffs, if enacted, “would almost immediately” cause Trump’s economy to “tumble into a recession that would last for more than a year,” citing an economist at Moody’s who called the outcome a worst-case scenario.

Leavitt, 27, is the youngest press secretary in the White House’s history and has proven herself an adept attack dog who has engendered appreciation from Trump for her no-holds-barred rapport with the national press corps. She has previously had terse exchanges on tariffs with other journalists in her daily briefings.

WATCH:

Last month, she sparred with a reporter from the Associated Press who challenged her on whether tariffs are equivalent to “tax hikes” on the American people.

“He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off,” Leavitt replied, according to The Hill. “Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people, and the president is a staunch advocate for tax cuts.”

The AP’s reporter in the room, Josh Boak, then responded: “I’m sorry, have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on foreign companies, they get charged on importers.”

“I think it’s insulting that you’re trying to test my knowledge of economics, and the decision that this president has made,” Leavitt shot back. “I now regret giving a question to The Associated Press.”

Trump and top economic advisors like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have scoffed at warnings about the effects of reciprocal tariffs. However, should things go south, those close to the president told Politico they believe he is ready to pin the blame on Lutnick for pushing an overly-aggressive strategy.

“I think people would take special pleasure in blaming him,’ one source said about Lutnick who they described as “pushing crazy s***” in Oval Office meetings compared to the measured advice of Bessent and tariff-loving trade adviser Peter Navarro, two known quantities around Trump.

“I don’t know anyone that isn’t pissed off at him,” the source added.