Fox Business host Charles Payne called out media outlets Thursday for ignoring blue-collar workers while covering President Donald Trump’s decision to impose reciprocal tariffs on other countries.
Trump announced reciprocal tariffs to address import duties and “horrendous imbalances” in trade Wednesday during a Rose Garden event. Payne reminded “Fox and Friends” co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhart and Brian Kilmeade Trump had vowed to “bring back manufacturing” and to impose tariffs while on the campaign trail. (RELATED: ‘I Never Met A Tax Cut I Didn’t Like’: Kudlow Examines Possible Benefits And Pitfalls Of Trump Tariffs)
“This is mind-boggling to me that the media’s focus on pain, pain, pain, pain. You know, listen to me, I heard someone on another network say that countries send us wine, cheese and Mercedes and we give them a piece of paper,” Payne said, getting animated. “As if, like, we’re getting the better end of the bargain. People sweat, they work hard, they sacrifice families, families are broken up, people commit crimes for this piece of paper, it represents an investment, our lives, our energy, it represents a lot. So, we send it over there and get plastic crap on this table. You know how that money comes back to this country? They buy this building, they buy our farms. This system is unsustainable. It’s unsustainable!”
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“Somehow we all want a good GDP, and good economy,” Payne continued. “Does it have to come at the expense? Is it patriotic to always stay in debt? Is it patriotic to spend my entire paycheck so the economy is good? Is it patriotic–so, my kids can’t afford to go to college. I don’t have a retirement. I don’t have a decent home. Is that patriotic? Is our patriotism tied to Wall Street or should it be tied to our own personal ability to achieve American dream? We need to rethink all of this.”
In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump cited multiple industries he wanted to see return to America, including pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, automobiles and machine tools.
Payne predicted a number of countries would likely make agreements to prevent or reduce the reciprocal tariffs from taking effect. (RELATED: ‘We Are Ecstatic’: Union Boss Who Backed Harris Says He’s Thrilled With One Major Trump Policy)
“Not a single country has what President Trump pulled out last night… he pulled out, like something mind-boggling, a bunker buster, because the methodology they use and you can argue with trade deficit is intriguing and again, it gave them a starting point, but you want to one-up that?” Payne said. “You can’t one-up that. You really can’t. It is time to come to the table, you have until April 9th. I would not be surprised to see a wave, a tidal wave of deals by then.”
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