Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday that the public is “going to love the deals that President Trump and I are doing” as the administration promises forthcoming breakthroughs on tariffs.
“Well, you heard in our polling some of the perceptions of the economy,” CBS News’ Margaret Brennan told Lutnick on “Face the Nation.” “Sixty-one percent of Americans believe the administration is putting too much focus on tariffs, 70 percent say the administration is not doing enough to lower prices and 60 percent oppose new tariffs on imported goods.”
“This is a centerpiece to your policy plan. How do you reverse public opposition?” she asked.
“Oh, they’re going to love the deals that President Trump and I are doing. I mean, they’re just going to love them. You know, the president figured out the right answer, and sent letters to these countries, said this is going to fix the trade deficit,” Lutnick responded.
“This will go a long way to fixing the trade deficit, and that’s gotten these countries to the table and they’re going to open their markets or they’re going to pay the tariff,” he added.
Trump’s whiplash approach to threatening and imposing tariffs has at times rattled the markets.
The president has sent letters to dozens of countries warning of tariffs ranging from 20 to 50 percent to be imposed beginning Aug. 1 unless new deals are reached.
“For 80 years, America’s leaders let countries put tariffs on our products and we did nothing,” Lutnick said Tuesday in a post on the social platform X.
“Now under President Trump’s leadership, American consumers and businesses are going to be competing on a level playing field. America will come out ahead,” he added.
