White House trade adviser Peter Navarro scolded a reporter for questioning President Trump’s shifting approach to tariffs imposed against Canada and Mexico.
Navarro, 75, gaggled with reporters Tuesday to defend Trump’s reversal on a threat to ratchet tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum up to 50%, and grew visibly agitated when a Sky News reporter pressed him on the president’s changing tactics.
“Looks like the president is negotiating strategically. So stop with the rhetoric. Okay? Just stop that crap,” Navarro shot back during the clash.
“But he does seem to be changing his mind all the time,” the reporter countered.
“Stop that crap!” Navarro snapped back, before asking where the reporter was from.
Trump, 78, levied 25% across-the-board tariffs against Canada and Mexico last week with an ultimatum they clamp down on the distribution of fentanyl precursors and illegal immigrants into the US.
A day later, he created a one-month carveout for automakers, and then a day after that, he announced that for one month, the tariffs wouldn’t apply to imports subject to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) he had negotiated during his first term.
For context, about 50% of imports from Mexico and 38% of imports from Canada are subject to USMCA.
The heightened tariffs Trump initially threatened on Tuesday for aluminum and steel imports came in response to Ontario pursuing a 25% surcharge on electricity provided to three northern states.
Navarro announced before the clash with Sky News that Trump had backed off the threat to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada after Ontario Premier Doug Ford halted the electricity surcharge.
“But why is that? Why is that? It’s a fact that he’s changing his mind every single day,” the reporter followed up with Navarro.
Navarro stressed that “It’s a negotiation, my friend” before denying the reporter’s suggestion that Trump’s tariff antics are “causing havoc to the stock markets.”
“Back up. Stop! Stop!” Navarro bristled, prompting the reporter to argue that he’s “allowed to ask questions for folks who weren’t out here.”
“Because here’s what we can do,” Navarro hit back, I can either stay here and answer your questions, and you can be civil about it, or you can hector me like this.”
“So, stand back. Get that thing out of my face,” he added, referring to the Sky News reporter’s equipment. “You’ve had your chance to ask questions. I will answer some other questions.”
Navarro, who currently serves as Senior Counselor to the President for Trade and Manufacturing, has been a staunch proponent of reorienting US trade policy in a more protectionist direction.
The stock market has been battered amid the tariff row and additional uncertainties, such as the ongoing government shutdown fight, though top index funds appeared to stem the hemorrhaging on Wednesday.
The Dow Jones was down 65 points as of 4 p.m. ET, while the Nasdaq shot up 197 points, and the S&P 500 gained back 29 points.
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