Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said he “wants” to be the secretary of President Donald Trump and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent on Tuesday evening.
Trump released a list of 60 countries that the United States was estimated to impose mutual tariffs on April 2, prompting a split between lawmakers both inside and outside the party. While speaking with host Sean Hannity about how senators could work together to “put federal waste spending under control,” Kennedy pivoted to deal with tariffs.
“But it’s like the fourth leg of this stool, so I want to say the word about the tariffs,” Kennedy said. “I think most fair people would agree.”
“Other countries use trade barriers to use Americans and American businesses. The second President Trump says “enough,” Kennedy added. “If he wasn’t a pit bull, I wouldn’t be in this situation today. That means there are 195 countries around the world and 70 people are pleading for them to make transactions to reduce tariffs.”
Following the announcement of a baseline 10% tariff on the country’s list, the president said certain countries like China will be hit by higher tariffs based on their own tariffs on the US a day later, Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democrat Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell have introduced a Vipartisin bill to curb Trump’s capabilities without approval of discussion. (Related: Victor Davis Hanson says there’s a better way for Trump to talk about tariffs)
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“But he’s like a pit bull that caught a car,” Kennedy said. “I don’t know what the president will do next… I hope he will make a deal. He and Scott Bescent go to all of those countries, reduce those tariffs and trade barriers to zero, and make American companies compete with those foreign companies. Competition makes us better.”
Despite the push from some lawmakers, Trump stood firm. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt I said An additional 50% tariff will be added on top of the previously imposed 20% and 34% tariffs as China refused to lift retaliation tariffs against the US on Tuesday.
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tupper on Sunday, Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins said 50 countries have already been “at the table” because they are “happily hopeless” to negotiate with the Trump administration.
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