Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

Scott Jennings Doesn’t Buy CNN Host’s Suggestion That Trump’s Tariffs Will Force Free World To Fall Into China’s Arms

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Republican strategist Scott Jennings scoffed on Monday when a CNN host claimed tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump would benefit China.

Trump announced reciprocal tariffs to address import duties and “horrendous imbalances” in trade with other countries Wednesday during a Rose Garden event. CNN International host Richard Quest and CNN “NewsNight” host Abby Phillip criticized the tariffs during the discussion.

“We’re going to have to see what the administration comes up with, with these 70-plus countries that have called. We don’t know how that’s going to turn out yet,” Jennings said. “And I think people are also just going to have to take the president here and his administration at their word when they talk about reorganizing and reordering the global economic order so that it doesn’t unfairly punish the working class of the United States.”

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“And on this issue with China, look, I just — I don’t believe that the rest of the free world is going to wake up and say, ‘You know what? Let’s get behind the Chinese Communist Party and let them lead us into the future,’” Jennings continued. “That will not happen. That will not happen. That will not happen.”

Trump closed a tariff loophole for China Wednesday, adding an import duty of $25 or 30% on packages after repealing a de minimis exemption for purchases under $800. Jennings clashed with Phillip and Quest over the effects of the tariff.

“Like, seriously, like isn’t it already the case that China is already using its economic influence to build a whole block on the global south?” Phillip asked, with Jennings responding. “I know what they do. But that’s coercion. And what you’re talking about is people —”

“Oh, what is the United States doing?” Quest asked, with Jennings shooting back, “Willingly — you’re talking about willingly following them off the cliff. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

Quest pressed the issue.

“Excuse me. And what is this tariff, if not coercion?” Quest asked.

“Well, the reason why China will never become what the United States is to the world right now is because they insist on running a trade surplus with the rest of the world,” John Carney, a Breitbart News editor cut in. “They will not do what the United States does, which is absorb the overproduction of the rest of the world. This is why Europe will be on our side. Europe needs to export to us. China needs to export to us. China will never become the buyer of last resort.”