In an NBC News interview that aired on Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump stated that he does not “believe” his tariff proposal will raise consumer prices for American families, but he did not make any promises.
“I can’t guarantee anything,” Trump told moderator Kristen Welker of “Meet the Press” in his first major network television interview since the November general election. “I can’t guarantee tomorrow.”
Trump then stated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he imposed tariffs “on a lot of different countries.”
“We took in hundreds of billions of dollars and had no inflation,” the president-elect told Welker. “In fact, when I handed it over, they didn’t have inflation for a year and a half.”
In November, Trump proposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico, the United States’ top three trading partners. The president-elect has criticized what he claims is the free flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into the United States from these three countries.
Late last month, Trump also threatened economic sanctions against the BRICS group, which consists of nine emerging market countries. He threatened “100% tariffs” if they attempted to “move away” from the US dollar.
Trump reiterated on NBC that he is a “big believer in tariffs” — calling them “beautiful” — and that the United States is subsidizing Canada and Mexico.
“If we’re going to subsidize them, let them become a state,” the president-elect declared. “We are subsidizing Mexico, Canada, and a number of other countries around the world. And all I want is a level, fast, and fair playing field.
Late last month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Mar-a-Lago to dine with Trump following his tariff threats. Trudeau later stated that he had a “excellent conversation” with the President-elect.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described her recent conversation with Trump as “excellent,” noting that the two discussed her country’s migration plans.
The economy was a top issue for voters in the November election, with Trump defeating Vice President Kamala Harris owing largely to dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s handling of inflation.
Harris tried to define her economic plan, focusing on price gouging and housing affordability, but she was unable to reverse Trump’s lead on the issue.
Across the United States, Trump eroded traditional Democratic advantages with working-class and minority voters, with many supporting him at the polls due to his focus on inflation.