Ana Swanson

So they had really changed the American terms of trade with the rest of the world. They had imposed a lot of tariffs on things like metals and washing machines and over $300 billion of products coming in from China. And they had also signed a trade deal with China and reworked the North American Free Trade Agreement into a new deal. Wow. But then there's an interesting wrinkle to the story.

So they had really changed the American terms of trade with the rest of the world. They had imposed a lot of tariffs on things like metals and washing machines and over $300 billion of products coming in from China. And they had also signed a trade deal with China and reworked the North American Free Trade Agreement into a new deal. Wow. But then there's an interesting wrinkle to the story.

So Trump's orbit has changed a lot through the whole first term. New advisers have come in. They get fired. You know, people are in and out very quickly. But Peter Navarro, even though he's sometimes sidelined, is there the whole time. Yes. And when the January 6th hearing comes, Navarro is called to testify, and he shows his loyalty to Trump by refusing to hand over his notes.

So Trump's orbit has changed a lot through the whole first term. New advisers have come in. They get fired. You know, people are in and out very quickly. But Peter Navarro, even though he's sometimes sidelined, is there the whole time. Yes. And when the January 6th hearing comes, Navarro is called to testify, and he shows his loyalty to Trump by refusing to hand over his notes.

And then he is sent to prison for four months for failing to honor the subpoena.

And then he is sent to prison for four months for failing to honor the subpoena.

And he gets out of prison on the day of the Republican National Convention, and he flies directly from prison to the RNC to give a speech.

And he gets out of prison on the day of the Republican National Convention, and he flies directly from prison to the RNC to give a speech.

That's right. And this time, he is even more empowered to totally transform America's trade relationships.

That's right. And this time, he is even more empowered to totally transform America's trade relationships.

So Peter Navarro believes that tariffs are a very important tool to balance out America's trading relationships. That, as we talked about, countries like China have been cheating international rules by making products more cheaply than they should and stealing intellectual property. Mm-hmm. And basically, they're putting out goods that American businesses just can't compete with.

So Peter Navarro believes that tariffs are a very important tool to balance out America's trading relationships. That, as we talked about, countries like China have been cheating international rules by making products more cheaply than they should and stealing intellectual property. Mm-hmm. And basically, they're putting out goods that American businesses just can't compete with.

And so American businesses need kind of a shield from those products. And that shield is tariffs. How exactly is it a shield? Well, a tariff is a charge on a good when it comes over the border. So if companies are making their products outside the United States and they want to sell them inside the United States, they pay that extra fee.

And so American businesses need kind of a shield from those products. And that shield is tariffs. How exactly is it a shield? Well, a tariff is a charge on a good when it comes over the border. So if companies are making their products outside the United States and they want to sell them inside the United States, they pay that extra fee.

So the thinking is tariffs will incentivize companies to make their products inside the United States so they don't have to pay that fee.

So the thinking is tariffs will incentivize companies to make their products inside the United States so they don't have to pay that fee.

So I asked him about that, and he was pretty clear about his position.

So I asked him about that, and he was pretty clear about his position.

He said that tariffs will not hurt consumers. So I did want to push back on some of the economics of tariffs and also get your response. So, you know, first, there were quite a few studies that showed that American consumers did bear the brunt of the China tariffs that much of that cost was passed through. But then secondly, even more basically, I mean, stay with that.

He said that tariffs will not hurt consumers. So I did want to push back on some of the economics of tariffs and also get your response. So, you know, first, there were quite a few studies that showed that American consumers did bear the brunt of the China tariffs that much of that cost was passed through. But then secondly, even more basically, I mean, stay with that.