Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s Most Lunkheaded Moments
Picture: Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures
The president of the USA just lately praised Hannibal Lecter for serving to him win reelection, urged he was “purposely” crashing the economic system, after which abruptly paused most of his tariffs, which he described as each up for negotiation and “everlasting.” So that you would possibly suppose making zany and contradictory public declarations isn’t the type of factor that bothers members of Donald Trump’s second administration. However Howard Lutnick discovered a method.
Latest reporting on the Commerce secretary reads like a Politico cowl of “Not Like Us.” Final month, the outlet reported that each White Home officers and Trump’s outdoors allies have grown “more and more annoyed” with Lutnick because of his makes an attempt to ingratiate himself with the president, his tendency to offer horrible coverage recommendation, and his “abrasive character.” One Politico supply accused Lutnick of “attempting to be a mini-Trump,” whereas one other described him as “a brand new voice on the desk pushing loopy shit,” including, “I don’t know anybody that isn’t pissed off at him.”
Lutnick’s frequent, typically embarrassing public statements are solely making issues worse. The secretary has introduced insurance policies that Trump has but to approve and made numerous jaw-dropping claims, like when he urged Individuals are desperate to serve in “the military of tens of millions and tens of millions of human beings screwing in little screws to make iPhones.” Lutnick’s media appearances “have confirmed so difficult to White Home officers that he was requested to curb them” again in March, in response to the Wall Road Journal.
Nonetheless, Lutnick was probably the most distinguished cheerleader for Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and he’s continued to be a font of darkly hilarious sycophancy in each his on-air appearances and his fawning social media posts. Right here’s a operating checklist of Lutnick’s most lunkheaded public statements.
Throughout a March 9 look on Meet the Press, Lutnick mentioned we must always “completely not” brace for an financial downturn as “there’s going to be no recession in America.”
He went on to vow that Trump would “develop our economic system in a method we’ve by no means grown earlier than,” including, “if Donald Trump is bringing development to America, I might by no means guess on recession, no likelihood.”
However Trump was method much less assured, or at the least much less prepared to make a doubtlessly humiliating declaration on digicam. That very same day, the president declined to rule out a recession on Fox Sunday Morning Futures, saying “I hate to foretell issues like that.”
Days later, CBS Information requested Lutnick if Trump’s tariffs are justified even when they spark a recession. “This insurance policies are crucial factor America has ever had,” the secretary answered, passionately, including, “It’s value it.”
Lutnick rapidly added that he doesn’t suppose there might be a recession. And if there is, it received’t be brought on by the present president however “the Biden nonsense that we needed to reside with.”
Then the Commerce secretary insisted that the tariffs — which Trump would later implement solely to delay lower than per week later — weren’t tumultuous in any respect. “It’s not chaotic and the one one who thinks it’s chaotic is somebody who’s playing around,” Lutnick mentioned.
In the identical “recession is value it” interview, Lutnick advised CBS that Trump is trying to abolish taxes for an enormous swath of Individuals. “I do know what his objective is: No tax for anyone who makes lower than $150,000 a yr. That’s his objective. That’s what I’m working for,” he mentioned.
Huge if true! Which, because it seems, it wasn’t. He later clarified in a Fox Information look, “that’s aspirational.”
Throughout a March 19 look on Fox Information, Lutnick praised Elon Musk extensively and mentioned viewers should purchase inventory in his automobile firm.
“I feel, if you wish to be taught one thing on this present tonight, purchase Tesla,” Lutnick mentioned. “It’s unbelievable that this man’s inventory is that this low cost. It’ll by no means be this low cost once more.”
Ought to a sitting Cupboard secretary not give inventory tips about reside TV? Is that type of factor frowned upon?
Throughout a March 23 look on the All-In podcast, Lutnick claimed that the majority seniors wouldn’t complain if their Social Safety test didn’t present up — and in the event that they did, that’s an indication that they’re a “fraudster.”
“Let’s say Social Safety didn’t ship out their checks this month. My mother-in-law, who’s 94, she wouldn’t name and complain,” Lutnick mentioned. “She simply wouldn’t. She’d suppose one thing bought tousled, and she or he’ll get it subsequent month. A fraudster at all times makes the loudest noise, screaming, yelling, and complaining,”
Lutnick is correct: that individual 94-year-old lady in all probability wouldn’t complain, as her son-in-law is a billionaire. However would the 40 % of older Individuals who rely solely on Social Safety revenue say one thing a couple of lacking test? Effectively, they’d higher not, except they wish to spark a fraud investigation.
So how precisely is Trump’s commerce warfare going to create American jobs in a well timed style when it takes years to construct a manufacturing facility? Robots!
In an interview with Fox Information’ Jesse Watters, Lutnick claimed that low-wage manufacturing facility employees in international international locations are going to get replaced by fancy robots within the good outdated U.S. of A. Which will sound like robots are taking our jobs, however the secretary defined Individuals are going to … repair the robots or one thing? Truthfully, Lutnick’s phrase salad was type of exhausting to observe. However the backside line is ROBOTS! Get excited!
When requested to supply particulars on the approaching robotic revolution on Face the Nation, Lutnick was hazy on whether or not that will really come to go, or Trump’s commerce offers would simply create American sweat retailers.
“Effectively, bear in mind, the military of tens of millions and tens of millions of human beings screwing in little – little screws to make iPhones, that type of factor goes to come back to America,” he mentioned, “It’s going to be automated and nice Individuals — the tradecraft of America, goes to repair them, goes to work on them. They’re going to be mechanics. There’s going to be HVAC specialists. There’s going to be electricians, the tradecraft of America.”
You possibly can snicker now, however sometime we’re going to see a “Room The place It Occurs”-style Broadway quantity about Lutnick and Bessent watching Trump wage a commerce warfare through Reality Social.
Hey, at the least he’s trustworthy!
