Trump’s 10 percent baseline tariffs are here to stay, Hassett says

Politico ^ | 04/10/2025 10:22 AM EDT | By Amanda Friedman

[central_va]

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett made clear on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s 10 percent baseline tariff on imports is not going anywhere, despite ongoing negotiations with foreign nations to roll back the steeper tariffs Trump put in place last week.

[central_va]

“Everybody expects that the 10 percent baseline tariff is going to be the baseline and it’s gonna take some kind of extraordinary deal for the president to go below there,” Hassett said during an appearance on CNBC.

[central_va]

globalists are saddened....

[AZJeep]

If they call it VAT or sales tax on foreign products, the left would be rejoicing.
I think, we can live with it, provided that it will balance our books and bring the manufacturing back!

[central_va]

I wonder bert, if there was a war with China over Taiwan whose side would you be on? Really, I am not sure which side someone ( a disgusting globalist ) like you would choose.

[central_va]

All of these right-wing anti tariff a$$clowns and pundits sound just like Pilosi and Schumer.

[Gay State Conservative]

Is that a good idea? IMO we should have absolutely reciprocal tariffs with a trading partner. If theirs are 10% then ours should be 10%...etc.

[Drago]

Come on Kevin! It’s National Banana Day for gosh sake!! 😳

Cell phones but not bananas & coffee?!? Ouch, the pocketbook!

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4311325/posts

[Leaning Right]

> If they call it VAT or sales tax on foreign products, the left would be rejoicing. <

Ha, yes. Lefties sure love their taxes. If I ever become president, I’m gonna put you in charge of naming stuff.

👍🏻

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

If they call it VAT or sales tax on foreign products, the left would be rejoicing.

So if they call it something different, that means we should rejoice? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I'm all for hammering China. But I think the across the board 10% tariff is not only a terrible idea, but will be struck down by courts as a usurpation of legislative power.

[Tell It Right]

I'm all for hammering China. But I think the across the board 10% tariff is not only a terrible idea, but will be struck down by courts as a usurpation of legislative power.

Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act of 1934 gave the Executive Branch the power to dole out tariffs, I believe up to 50%.

[AZJeep]

My local sales tax is now itching to almost 10%.
Little bit here, little bit there, and now we are almost 10%.
And, people kind of ignore it.
They were talking about VAT forever. Sen Lugar, RIP, had national sales tax as his presidential proposal.

So VAT of foreign products, that sounds really good to me. Raise some money, protect US industry.

[central_va]

After 30 years being the bottom, the USA should spend that many years on top.

[central_va]

But I think the across the board 10% tariff is not only a terrible idea

Chuck Shumer and Nancy Pilosi agree with you.

[central_va]

VAT taxes are evil.

[central_va]

Did I ask you this already? If there was a war with China over Taiwan whose side would you be on? Really, I am not sure which side someone ( globalist ) like you would choose.

If you are too embarrassed or ashamed to answer, I get it.

[Gay State Conservative]

IMO equal tariffs are the most logical...and the easiest to defend from criticism.

[Leaning Right]

> If theirs are 10% then ours should be 10%...etc. <

That makes some sense. But on the other hand, we’ve got to protect our essential industries. Plus, we’ve got to provide factory work for our people. Not everyone is cut out to be a physician or an engineer.

It’s complicated, with many moving parts. If anyone can sort it out, Trump can.

[Empire_of_Liberty]

If the tariffs are here to stay, you had better put blockchain on the money or the ‘Rats will be stealing it, next.

[SPDSHDW]

We need some incentive to bring Manufacturing back here, and 10% is possibly the bare minimum required to do so.

[Pollard]

Only fair since that's the minimum most every country tariffs the US

https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4308451/posts?page=2#2