‘They do!’ CNN host waves proof in front of Trump official’s face in dispute over lobsters
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was so adamant that neither Europe nor the UK would buy American-grown lobsters that he continued arguing even after CNN’s Pamela Brown waved the proof right in front of him.
Lutnick appeared on CNN Wednesday to defend President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs that economists fear could trigger a recession.
“The world should stop exploiting the United States of America,” Lutnick proclaimed. “Let our farmers sell their products, let our ranchers sell their products. They won’t take lobster in Europe or the UK. I mean, why won’t they take American lobster?”
“They do actually now. They do,” Brown pushed back. “They didn’t for a while, but now they do.”
“But they don’t!” Lutnick continued. “They don’t, because Downing Street said they’re going to start — if they change their trade policy — they’re going to start having lobster dinners in Downing Street. All right? So, that’s what they told me.”
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Lutnick continued, “So, the point is, let’s let American workers succeed and prosper. Let’s build factories in America. Let’s let us export to the world. You can’t really fight with the United States. We are the customer of the world.”
Brown then shuffled through some papers, saying, “OK, let me just follow up with you. And by the way, in August 2020, the EU did agree to eliminate tariffs on fresh and frozen American lobsters. Just fact — quick fact check there.”
She continued, “But, hold on, hold on. No, no, no, no,” as Lutnick continued to argue his point.
“It’s not tariffs! It’s non-tariff trade barriers! Come on, remember they wouldn’t let — Korea wouldn’t let french fries come in —”
Brown interjected, “Secretary, I understand. Let me just follow up because I want to just be very clear here, because allies and adversaries alike are looking at everything you’re saying right now about whether there’s room to negotiate on these tariffs before they announce what they’re going to do. What I hear from you is that there isn’t room for negotiation. Is that right?”
Lutnick claimed “the president is not going to back off,” before declaring that the U.S. is “the sumo wrestler of this world. We are the biggest economy, the biggest customer. You can’t fight back against your customer.”
Watch the clip below via CNN or click here.