Howard Lutnick: How America Can Hit 6% GDP Growth in 2026
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What humorous story does Howard Lutnick share about Air Force One?
What was the feeling the first time you're on Air Force One It's just for marine one. Like is there a special thing where you're just like what is going on? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah you when you're on these things you like It's amazing, yeah, right you're you are we're part of his real conversations happen we went to see Putin so I get on Air Force One at 5 a.m. He gets on at 545 We fly to Alaska.
What is the full scope of the Commerce Department?
So we're talking about it. Then we were there for four hours with Putin. And then we fly back. Now, Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff go take a nap, because we have to wait for Zelensky to wake up. It's called Zelensky, and we have to wait for the European leaders to wake up, because it's the middle of the night.
How did Trump's tariff agenda impact U.S. trade?
So I stay up with the president. And we're just chatting. We're just chatting, watching golf. I mean, it's a lot of hours. So then Zelensky wakes up. So they get on the phone with Zelensky. And he talks to Zelensky on his phone.
What challenges have arisen in the U.S.-Japan trade deal?
And then when he calls the European leaders, when they get up, they want to have us only secure a call. So there's three secure handsets in his office. So he's on one. Rubio's on one. And Witkoff's on one. And I'm just sitting on the couch. This is in Air Force One. In Air Force One, in his office, in Air Force One. So I'm just sitting on the couch. And I've been up for like 20 hours. And the president's been up for 20 hours. But he's on the phone and the European leaders are talking. So I'm just sitting there. And they're all on handsets. So I can't hear a word that anybody's saying. And I'm just sitting there. So I fall asleep.
Why has the India trade deal not yet been finalized?
So I'm just sitting there. They're talking on the phone right there. And I fall asleep like this. So I'm like that. So Witkoff elbows the president. Right? Points to me.
How are pharmaceutical deals affecting costs for Americans?
And then he, the president unrolls a tootsie roll. He goes like this. He tries to throw it into my mouth. He hits me in the face. I wake up, he goes, he goes, Howard, while you're napping, we're trying to settle world peace. That's awesome.
Well, welcome everybody to the All In interview. I'd like to welcome Secretary Howard Lutnick, our esteemed Secretary of Commerce. When we... did the first interview with you, it was at the beginning of the administration. It was almost a year ago. And to be honest, it turned out to be one of the most popular things we've ever done. There's the Elon Musk view factor, but then there was the Howard Ludnick view factor, and they were pretty much side by side, actually. It's great that you gave us a chance a year later to come back and talk to you. Let's just start with the general look back for you. How has the year gone? And specifically, I would love to understand What surprised you as a businessman walking into the government?
Let's just start with that. So overall, you know, I have a goal, which is I want to be the cabinet secretary who has the most fun, right?
What strategies are being implemented to boost GDP growth?
And so I set out with that goal, which means I am outcome-driven. I don't really buy into I worked really hard at something and it failed. If I worked really hard and it failed, it's a fail. It's a fail. Right? If I got lucky and it just all fell into place and I did nothing, it's still success. Right? Because the outcomes are what matter. Right. You know, you're not telling people how hard you worked and failed. Right. So how you get things done in government is fascinating. It's just different. What happened is most people who've ever been in government tend to be incremental. They come in, they say, how did this work? So someone explains how they work and they try to move the ball 10% forward. They don't really rethink it.
entirely. And so my objective was to come into this department, which is an awesome, incredible, diverse department, and really think through its powers and its possibilities. Reimagine them, rethink them, hire people, and then mold those people to think outside the box. And so the first three months was really getting people to think, can I really challenge this? Can I really do this? Can I really try to do this? And then trying to convince everybody around me that this is an okay way to do it.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What humorous story does Howard Lutnick share about Air Force One?
0:00–0:33
2
What is the full scope of the Commerce Department?
0:33–0:52
3
How did Trump's tariff agenda impact U.S. trade?
0:52–1:08
4
What challenges have arisen in the U.S.-Japan trade deal?
1:08–1:45
5
Why has the India trade deal not yet been finalized?
1:45–1:56
6
How are pharmaceutical deals affecting costs for Americans?
1:56–3:19
7
What strategies are being implemented to boost GDP growth?
3:19–6:24
8
How has the Trump administration revamped the CHIPS Act?
6:24–1:27:19
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