Moments ago, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick took the oath of office in the Oval Office as delivered by Vice-President JD Vance.
Secretary Lutnick is going to be a very key component in the MAGAnomic agenda, likely second only to President Trump. Just as Wilbur Ross was key to unlocking the economy in President Trump’s first term, so too is Secretary Lutnick going to play a pivotal role.
Long before President Trump won the election, Howard Lutnick was one of the few people who really understood the construct of MAGAnomics, how economic nationalism was crucial, and how the strategic use of tariffs creates massive GDP growth. The swearing-in ceremony is very uplifting, and both President Trump and Secretary Lutnick are very positive about the future.
At 11:38 of the video below, President Trump holds an impromptu press conference. WATCH:
Today, President Donald J Trump signed an executive order triggering the first ever system of “reciprocal trade tariffs,” a seismic change in U.S. trade policy that will also consider the respective nation’s VAT (Value Added Tax) tariff.
Within the executive order [as outlined], the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative will consider foreign industry subsidies, and non-monetary tariff barriers as part of the determination of the tariff levied. This is a stunning shift in U.S trade agreements that will cut through all the angles being deployed to avoid U.S. tariffs and block U.S exports into their country.
The policy will pressure foreign nations to lower their trade barriers to U.S. goods and eliminate disparity in foreign trade agreements. One big example will be the impact on the EU through the continuing Marshall Plan. The EU will now face reciprocal tariffs and no longer benefit from one-way tariff acceptance. There are obviously no tariffs on products made inside the USA.
With “reciprocal tariffs” the Commerce Dept and USTR will now determine the trade imbalances with each individual country and will evaluate each FTA (Free Trade Agreement), one-by-one to deconflict the trade imbalance. Direct tariffs, subsidies, regulatory hurdles, non-monetary trade barriers and hidden export subsidies will be addressed as part of the reciprocity evaluation. This is a completely new dynamic in the era of modern global trade and economics.
During the executive order signing event, President Trump took questions from the media. WATCH:
Between now and April 1st, each individual trade agreement will be evaluated with consideration for all facets of the cost for American companies to export to the evaluated nation. Direct tariffs, Value Added Taxes (VAT), state subsidies and non-monetary regulatory tariff barriers, will be determined for each nation. That nation will then be made aware of the tariff against each sector within their export system to the United States.
Effective April 2, 2025, President Trump will then have the tariff data provided by the USTR and Secretary of Commerce. President Trump will determine when the reciprocal tariff will be triggered and will likely engage in discussions with the leaders of the foreign nations.
These fireside chat-style impromptu pressers during executive order signings are awesome. The revolutionary change in government transparency and communication is, well, quite literally historic and stunning. The media can ask questions in real-time as the specific policy is implemented and explained, while simultaneously the ability of the media to shape an anti-Trump policy narrative is removed.
This is excellent news. There are two distinctively different sets of tariffs scheduled to roll out in the next few days, weeks and months.
One set of long-term tariffs called MACRO tariffs focused on reciprocity and based primarily on economic fairness. The second and more urgent set, are focused on the immediacy of national security, border security and the demand for allies to shut down their support for fentanyl distribution.
The Border Security tariffs of 25% against Mexico and Canada start on Saturday. The media and corporate interests in/around Wall Street are in maximum apoplexy mode; however, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik previously explained the reason for the urgency. The video is 5 minutes and well worth your time if you want to avoid the confusion being pushed by media. WATCH:
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico beginning Saturday, reiterating concerns about illegal migration, fentanyl and trade deficits in remarks to reporters.
“I’ll be putting the tariff of 25 percent on Canada, and separately, 25 percent on Mexico, and we’ll really have to do that,” Trump told reporters while signing executive orders focused on aviation safety.
President Trump announced via Truth Social that he had a “wonderful” and “very productive” conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. According to the announcement, illegal alien migrants will no longer be permitted to traverse Mexico en route to the U.S. southern border.
The professional political left is currently in the process of heralding Sheinbaum as the Latin Angela Merkel; a diplomatic trade figure to stand up against horrible bully, Donald Trump. However, the left is having a little difficulty assembling the rank-and-file message while reconciling Sheinbaum is a Jewish Mexican.
President Trump has announced the nomination of Jamieson Greer to be the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Jamieson Greer was the Chief of Staff to former USTR Robert Lighthizer.
In a previous nomination of Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary, President Trump noted Lutnick would have responsibility overseeing the office of the USTR. Apparently Lutnick and Greer will be working closely together. Great news.
Greer is likely to be facing China first and most directly, as President Trump economically faces the EU and NATO over the Ukraine issues.
The second announcement on the economic team does not need confirmation. President Trump announces the return of ¹happy warrior Kevin Hassett as Director of the White House National Economic Council (NEC). This is awesome news, and Hassett is a great communicator.
Other than Trump winning the election, this is the best news all year. Mexico is threatening to retaliate against Trump’s border security tariffs, with some form of economic punishment. Pinch me, this is too awesome.
Keep in mind that around 35% of Mexico’s GDP is contingent upon exports to the USA, meanwhile only around 1% of our stuff exports to them. Then add in the remittances of dollars to Mexico, and more than 50% of the Mexican economy is contingent upon us just being friendly to their needs.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has no clue or comprehension about the scale of Trump’s leverage over her. This is like a spoiled teenager threatening to cut up the credit card dad gave her if she can’t go to the concert. Beyond funny.
WASHINGTON DC – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government would retaliate if President-elect Donald Trump moves forward with his threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on the country, warning of severe economic consequences for companies operating in both countries.
Sheinbaum unveiled the letter during her daily press conference in Mexico City, which responded to Trump’s plan to slap 25 percent tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada in an effort to crack down on the flow of migrants and illegal drugs into the United States. Trump also pledged an additional 10 percent tariff on China.
“For every tariff, there will be a response in kind,” Sheinbaum wrote in a letter sent to Trump. The text was released by the Mexican Embassy Tuesday morning, which said the economic fallout of a trade war would harm shared enterprises, particularly automotive companies that operate in both countries.
Boy howdy, this article by The Associated Press is very telling.
First, it’s worth remembering that in the fine print of the USMCA deal, Mexico and Canada must comply with North American parts origination for anything they want to manufacture for sale into the United States. Meaning, all trade manufacturers must either create their component parts domestically, or purchase them from the U.S, Mexico and Canada. It’s the core point of the USMCA trade agreement.
Secondly, in an aspect exclusive to the U.S. part of the deal that President Trump and USTR Lighthizer insisted upon, if either Canada or Mexico are deemed to be non-compliant with the agreement, the USA can cancel/override any trade agreement Mexico or Canada have with another nation. It’s a heavy accountability hammer securing the gate into the massive USA market.
In an AP report today, Mexico is scrambling to find local or North American sources of parts and components, because President Trump is set to come into office and look at USMCA compliance. Apparently, Mexico has been using excessive amounts of Chinese component parts for goods being sent into the USA and Canada. Now they are quickly trying to source alternatives.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has been taking a bashing lately for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America, and officials here are afraid a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could try to leave their country out of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.
Mexico’s ruling Morena party is so afraid of losing the trade deal that President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday the government has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones.
“We have a plan with the aim of substituting these imports that come from China, and producing the majority of them in Mexico, either with Mexican companies or primarily North American companies,” Sheinbaum said.
President Donald Trump sits down with Bloomberg Editor-In-Chief John Micklethwait for an extended interview. The interview is in partnership with the Economic Club of Chicago and is structurally President Trump facing down the globalists who sell Wall Street policy.
The interview was at times very combative as the interviewer, John Micklethwait, pushes a Wall Street ideology in alignment with the World Economic Forum. However, President Trump has already proven that his economic policies work.
President Trump stared down every WEF talking point and totally destroyed it. This interview is brilliant and a perfect juxtaposition for Economic Nationalism vs Multinational Globalism. President Trump tore the talking points apart. AWESOME!
Notice in the conversation about Tariffs, not a single word made by the “economists” on the value of the dollar and how pertinent it is in the equation.
When China and the EU devalue their currency to offset the impact of tariffs, the dollar value increases. This means it costs less dollars to import goods that come to the USA at a lower price (due to subsidies). Essentially, the diminished tariff impact is doubled.
Jumpin’ ju-ju bones, I think we may have found Wilbur Ross’s replacement. In this segment on CNBC Trump transition team leader Howard Lutnick, explains simple MAGAnomics to the panel. Make this guy both Commerce Secretary and Chairman of the National Economic Council in 2025!
Starting with an explanation of his role within the Trump 2025 transition team, Lutnick then walks through the MAGAnomic principles enmeshed in President Trump’s economic policies. Mr. Lutnick begins the policy part by outlining how energy restrictions are driving inflation through higher costs of goods. Yes. Yes and Yes.
Then Lutnick shifts to talking about tariffs and is one of the only advisors outside the 2017 team (Robert Lighthizer, Wilbur Ross) who factually references ending the insufferable “Marshal Plan.” Again, yes, yes and YES.
Howard Lutnick gets it. The essential core of MAGAnomics. Drive down the cost of goods through expanded energy development, then leverage reciprocity in tariffs to end the exfiltration of wealth. Then cut out regulation and unleash American enterprise. This is the way to reverse this insufferable economic trajectory that creates a “service driven economy.” The entire interview is well worth watching:
It was predictable [SEE HERE], and it happened exactly as predicted.
BlackRock investment firm writes the regulatory and economic policy for Joe Biden’s administration. That’s the quid-pro-quo that maintains the Biden political financial operation. All of DC know it. No one does not know. The ones who claim they do not know about it are all pretending. Republicans take the background BlackRock bribes and pretend.
BlackRock positioned massive investment assets inside Chinese auto manufacturers, MG, BYD, and Chery. The three Chinese companies are in the process of moving North American auto manufacturing to Mexico, specifically to make EVs. The Chinese EVs made in Mexico will come into the U.S market tariff free under the USMCA trade agreement. China and BlackRock will make billions.
Today, Joe Biden announced a series of tariffs against China in the EV industry. [SEE HERE] The Chinese EVs are not being made in China. The tariff regime is a farce – a total joke.
Biden might as well be announcing tariffs on Chinese swimming pools flown into the USA via hot air balloon. There will be more Chinese swimming pools delivered from China than Chinese EVs. The Chinese EVs come from Mexico. The tariff is fake.
