Commerce Secretary Lutnick: Tariffs are 'fundamental for national security'
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick breaks down reasoning behind a plethora of tariffs, reacts to trade criticism and reveals the ultimate goal for President Donald Trump's negotiation tactics.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is involved in "Stupid Trade," not "Free Trade."
Trump made the remark on his Truth Social account Thursday after threatening to impose a 200% tariff on alcohol products from France and other European countries, exacerbating the trade war among U.S. allies.
"The U.S. doesn’t have Free Trade. We have ‘Stupid Trade.’ The Entire World is RIPPING US OFF!!!" Trump wrote.
An hour before that message, Trump said "The European Union, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky.
TRUMP CLAIMS IRELAND’S TAX SYSTEM LURED US PHARMA, THREATENS TO ESCALATE EU TRADE WAR
President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn to board Marine One at the White House on March 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S," he added.
French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin responded to Trump's post on Thursday, saying the country will protect its industries.
COMMERCE SECRETARY HOWARD LUTNICK DEFENDS TRUMP’S TARIFF ENDGAME AGAINST RECESSION FEARS
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said "nothing" will stop Trump's tariff endgame on "Varney & Co." on Wednesday. (Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Trump "is launching the escalation in the trade war he chose to start," Saint-Martin said in a post on X that was translated to English. "France remains determined to respond with the European Commission and our partners."
The Trump administration has also been engaged in back-and-forth tariffs with Canada this week, a country the president described as "one of the highest tariffing nations anywhere in the world."
President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 28. (Reuters/Nathan Howard / Reuters)
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Canada announced $21 billion in additional tariffs against the U.S. on Wednesday after Trump's new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum went into effect.
Gxstocks’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.
