Introduction: On April 3, 2025, the Trump administration rolled out a bold new tariff policy aimed at reshaping global trade to favor the United States. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and President Donald Trump have both passionately defended the move, arguing it will strengthen the U.S. economy and put America back in control of international trade negotiations. But what does this mean for the country and its citizens? This article dives into their statements, the policy’s goals, and its potential impact.
Howard Lutnick: A Reordering of Global Trade
In a recent CNN interview, Trump administration Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick explained the reasoning behind the new tariffs announced on Friday, April 3, 2025. “Today was the day of the beginning of saying, I’m sorry, you can’t just live for free off of us,” he stated. Lutnick pointed to China as “the largest tariff and trade barrier country in the world,” noting that despite their policies, “they don’t have inflation.”
“So these things don’t occur the way people suggest they do. This is a reordering of global trade for the benefit of America,” Lutnick continued. He used a vivid metaphor to drive his point home: “These people have all been living in our house. They have been driving our car. They come by and visit, open our fridge and eat our food whenever they want. They have taken advantage of us.”
“You have to pay,” he emphasized, adding, “And what’s going to happen is, the United States of America will get stronger. Our economy will grow much, much faster than the rest of the world, right?” Watch Lutnick’s full exchange with a combative CNN host below:
🚨 COMMERCE SEC. HOWARD LUTNICK with an absolute masterclass against a combative CNN host. pic.twitter.com/QdCD8ElMbb
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 3, 2025
LUTNICK: "Let Donald Trump fix the American economy."
HOST: "The first time he did tariffs, we did see prices rise on products that were tariffed."
LUTNICK: "We…
President Trump: Tariffs Are Already Working
President Donald Trump echoed Lutnick’s sentiments on the same day, declaring that the tariff policy is already yielding results. “Every country has called us, that’s the beauty of what we do, we’ve put ourselves in the driving seat,” Trump proclaimed. He emphasized the leverage the tariffs provide: “If we’d asked most of these countries to do us a favor, they’d have said no, now they’ll do almost anything for us… the tariffs give us great power to negotiate.”
Rejecting claims that tariffs would harm the economy, Trump argued, “We inherited a terrible economy, as you know, with a lot of problems, including the loss of manufacturing and plants closed up and down the country.” He cited the devastating impact of past trade deals like NAFTA, stating, “We’ve lost 90,000 plants since NAFTA… and about six million jobs.”
“It’s a sick patient that went through an operation on liberation day, it’s going to be a booming country,” Trump concluded optimistically. Watch his full statement here:
🚨 PRESIDENT TRUMP announces his tariffs have brought pretty much EVERY COUNTRY to the negotiating table already
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 3, 2025
“Every country's called us. That's the beauty of what we do. We put ourselves in the driver's seat.”
THAT’s how it’s done 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Zx6j8F73SY
What’s Next for America’s Economy?
The Trump administration’s tariff strategy is a high-stakes gamble to revitalize American manufacturing and economic power. By targeting countries like China and renegotiating trade deals, Lutnick and Trump aim to reverse decades of perceived exploitation. Whether this policy will lead to the promised economic boom—or spark unintended consequences—remains to be seen. For now, the administration is confident that America is back in the driver’s seat.
