U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer voices strong opposition to a 90-day tariff pause during a tense congressional hearing. Lawmakers spar over the impact on American industry and trade policy. The debate highlights divisions on economic strategy and global competitiveness.
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#TariffDebate #TradePolicy #JamiesonGreer #CongressionalHearing #USEconomy
#TariffFreeze
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00:00I understand it's 90 days. I haven't spoken to the president since I've been in this hearing.
00:03So the trade representative hasn't spoken to the president of the United States
00:08about a global reordering of trade.
00:12Yes, I have. I've just been in a hearing with you.
00:14But yet he announced it on a tweet.
00:17Mr. Trade Representative, are you aware that the tariffs have been paused?
00:23I am, yes.
00:24When were you made aware of that?
00:26Well, I understood the decision was made a few minutes ago.
00:29It's sitting here under discussion, sitting here under discussion.
00:33So did you know that the that this was under discussion?
00:35And why did you not include that as part of your opening remarks?
00:38So typically what I don't do is divulge the contents of my discussions.
00:42What are the details of the pause?
00:45Well, my understanding is that because so many countries have decided not to retaliate,
00:50we're going to have about 90 days.
00:52No, excuse me.
00:54You, you, we are, China increased their tariffs on the United States.
01:00Trump blinked.
01:03What's the blink, sir?
01:05What do you know about this pause?
01:07What are the details of it?
01:09Well, the details, as I understand it, is that China continues to retaliate.
01:14Other countries didn't retaliate.
01:15The president, two or three days ago, said we wanted to negotiate with those countries
01:19that asked for, that asked for meetings.
01:21That's what we're doing.
01:21What are the details?
01:22How long is the pause?
01:23How many days?
01:24How many weeks?
01:25I understand it's 90 days.
01:27I haven't spoken to the president since I've been in this hearing.
01:29So the trade representative hasn't spoken to the president of the United States
01:34about a global reordering of trade.
01:38Yes, I have.
01:39I've just been in the hearing with you, sir.
01:40But yet he announced it on a tweet, WTF, who's in charge?
01:45The president of the United States is in charge.
01:47And what do you know about those details?
01:51Well, as I mentioned, it looks like your boss just pulled the rug out from under you
01:56and paused the tariffs, the taxes on the American people.
02:00There's no strategy.
02:01You just found out three seconds ago, sitting here, we saw you.
02:06We've been discussing a variety of things.
02:08If you came here knowing that you were going to be turned off, that these tariffs were going
02:12to be turned off, why didn't you include that in your opening statement?
02:16Why didn't you reference that as part of your testimony?
02:20Well, I don't disclose my conversations with the president, sir.
02:23These were specific questions we asked you all along.
02:26What's the strategy?
02:27These are real consequences for the American people and small businesses.
02:32I had a group of small businesses in my office earlier today talking about the impacts of
02:38these tariffs on aluminum and steel.
02:41This is amateur hour, and it needs to stop.
02:45What does this even mean for your negotiating strategy?
02:49How are you in charge of negotiation if the president is tweeting about this from wherever
02:57the hell he is?
02:58The president was elected, and he runs the trade policy, and I advise him and execute
03:02his trade policy.
03:03Who executes the trade policy?
03:04I execute the trade policy.
03:05Did you know that this was happening?
03:08We have been discussing all kinds of...
03:09And there's another member of the cabinet, Besant, who just canceled coming to the Hill
03:14to avoid talking about the market because it's in turmoil.
03:18This, in just days, because there was no strategy, there was no plan.
03:26The president chose to take actions that he didn't even have the authority to take.
03:32He's put our economy in disarray and near collapse.
03:38We have small businesses and Americans who are concerned about their well-being, people's
03:44retirement, people's 529 accounts went down because of this administration.
03:53We have people that are planning to send their kids to college this fall.
03:58Retire...
03:59People who are retiring whose benefits have declined.
04:04Why not?
04:07Is this market manipulation?
04:08No.
04:10Why not?
04:11If it was a plan, if it was always the plan, how is this not market manipulation?
04:18It's not market manipulation, sir.
04:19But then what is it?
04:20Because it sure is not a strategy.
04:22We're trying to reset the global trade system.
04:25It has to offshore all of our factories.
04:27What has that done?
04:28How have you achieved any of that?
04:31But to enact enormous harm on the American people, which was our concern from the very beginning.
04:39Tariffs are a tool.
04:40It can be used in the appropriate way to protect U.S. jobs and small businesses.
04:46But that's not what this does.
04:51So if it's not market manipulation, what is it?
04:55Who's benefiting?
04:56What billionaire just got richer?
05:00And all the while, there are not even any Republicans left in this hearing.
05:05They all left because they don't even want to defend this.
05:08But meanwhile, the Speaker is rushing to the floor to pass a budget reconciliation to screw
05:13America by passing the biggest tax cut in history on the backs of the American people?
05:21I'm going to say, WTF?
05:22Who's in charge?
05:27Because it sure doesn't look like it's the trade representative.
05:30You just got the rug pulled out from under you.
05:34I wish I could feel some empathy.
05:39But the empathy I have is for the American people, whose very well-being and livelihoods
05:46are being affected.
05:47This is not a game.
05:49This is real life.
05:51I yield back.
05:53Let the record reflect that there's more Republicans in this chamber than there are Democrats currently
06:02in this committee room.
06:04There's six of us.
06:05There's five of you.
06:06So let's make sure we get the facts right.
06:08I appreciate the President did not blink on China.
06:12As was said earlier, and it needs to be corrected in the record.
06:14In fact, he increased China by 125 percent.
06:19Would you yield, Mr. Chairman?
06:21I do not.
06:22Can we have a colloquy?
06:23No.
06:24We don't want to talk about the trade policy here in the trade committee.
06:27This is our jurisdiction.
06:28Your time has expired, and I'm more than happy to talk to you.
06:30I asked if you would yield.
06:31And I said no.
06:32Because you don't want to defend the policy or the strategy.
06:35Kick me out.
06:36What are you going to do?
06:38Kick me out.
06:39Mr. Yacom, you're recognized.
06:41Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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