Trump Witness Crumbles Under Cross-Exam at Hearings

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The MeidasTouch Podcast 25 min 5 speakers 3 chapters transcribed
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What happened during Jamieson Greer's testimony on Capitol Hill?

Ben Meiselas 0:00
It did not go well for Donald Trump's top trade representative, Jamison Greer, who testified on Capitol Hill for two days under oath, the first day before the United States Senate, the second day before the House of Representatives. He spent a day and a half justifying and making every excuse in the book for Donald Trump's tariffs against the world, the cockamamie formula, using deficits to calculate reciprocal tariffs, which weren't actually reciprocal tariffs, testifying under no circumstance ever. and I mean ever will there be a pause on any of these tariffs. We're all in. If there's 10% inflation, no pause. If millions of jobs get lost, no pause. And then on day two of his testimony before the House of Representatives, you literally see him getting a text message or a Google alert on his phone, and he has this Oh, crap moment where he finds out that Donald Trump reversed course on every country other than China. And then Donald Trump essentially paused all of the tariffs against the world.
Ben Meiselas 1:08
Precisely what Jameson Greer testified would never happen. And also because Jameson Greer's the top trade representative, this would be like the decision that he makes. or should be involved in, and he was finding out that Donald Trump basically made a tweet or a social media post, and on that basis, the entire tariff policy shifted in a moment, an entire realignment of United States trade policy took place, and Jameson Greer, the trade representative, was finding out This is the chaos of the Trump regime. So then naturally on day two, the Democrats pounced and they were asking Trade Representative Greer, you didn't know about that. You've just spent two days testifying. This would never happen. And now that's happening. Explain that to us.
Ben Meiselas 2:03
And Jamison Greer's like, oh, well, I'm reading the Post and I think that this is actually really smart because there's no depth to the excuses and depravity that they won't justify when it comes to Donald Trump. So let's talk about what went down. So first, you have Democratic Senator Mark Warner. This is day one when Greer's before the Senate. And Senator Mark Warner just goes off on Jamison Greer saying, Why the hell are you tariffing Australia, our ally, when there's a surplus that we have in trade with Australia? That makes no sense under your cockamamie Greek formula. Play this clip.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse 2:45
There is a trade. We already have a free trade agreement. We have a trade surplus. So getting the least bad, why did they get whacked in the first place?
We're addressing the $1.2 trillion deficit, the largest in human history that President Biden left us with. We should be running up the score in Australia.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse 3:03
Ambassador Clear, answer the question on Australia. We have a trade surplus with Australia. We have a free trade agreement. Why? They are an incredibly important national security partner. Why were they whacked with a tariff?
Senator, despite the agreement, they ban our beef, they ban our pork, they're getting ready to impose measures on our digital companies.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse 3:24
With your Greek letter formula, the fact that we have a trade surplus.
We have a global tariff on every... We're trying to address the $1.2 trillion deficit that Biden left us with.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse 3:34
I think that answer... Sir, you're a much smarter person than that answer. The idea that we are going to whack friend and foe alike... and particularly friends with this level is both, I think, insulting the Australians, undermines our national security, and frankly makes us not a good partner going forward. The lack of trust from friends and allies based upon this ridiculous policy that goes into full effect at midnight tonight, is extraordinary.

Why did Jamieson Greer face criticism regarding tariffs?

Ben Meiselas 4:06
Next, you have Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, and she says to Jameson Greer, what if inflation was 10%? Would you still keep these tariffs on? Here, play this clip.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse 4:19
Sales tax is increasing prices for families. It's also causing huge losses in Americans' retirement savings. Ambassador Greer, would the administration reverse course if the president's tariffs led to 10% inflation?

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