Trump’s Trade Plan: Reject Free Stuff Because... China?

Trump’s Commerce Secretary Admits Free Trade Is Off the Table — Even If Other Countries Drop All Tariffs

📞 NOTE TO READERS:
Want to do something about this nonsense? Below is a quick phone script you can use to call your member of Congress. Use your voice. 👇

In a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing today, Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) grilled Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the logic of the Trump administration’s aggressive tariff policy. Here’s the part that should be a headline in every paper:

KENNEDY: “If Vietnam came to you and said, 'You win. We're gonna remove all tariffs and all trade barriers. Would the U.S. please do the same?' Would you accept that deal?”

LUTNICK: “Absolutely not. That would be the silliest thing we could do.”

KENNEDY: “What's the purpose of reciprocity then?”

And that’s when it clicked. Trump’s so-called “reciprocal” trade policy is a scam. The goal was never fair trade—it’s about permanent protectionism. It’s about tariffs as political weapons, not economic tools. It’s about keeping the illusion of toughness while Americans pay higher prices and global allies shake their heads in disbelief.

Why it matters:
This isn’t just stupidity—it’s strategy. Trump’s team is openly saying they don’t want free or fair trade. They want leverage. They want conflict. And they’re willing to screw over American workers and consumers to get it.

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PHONE SCRIPT TO CALL CONGRESS:

Just dial the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and they’ll connect you directly to your senator or representative. It takes two minutes.

“Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME], I’m a constituent from [YOUR CITY/ZIP CODE], and I’m calling to demand that [Senator/Representative NAME] publicly reject the Trump administration’s dangerous and economically harmful trade agenda.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick openly admitted in a Senate hearing that even if another country offered us a fully free and fair trade deal, we’d still reject it. That’s not policy—it’s a power grab.

I want to know where [Senator/Representative NAME] stands. Will they oppose this permanent protectionism that hurts American workers and raises prices? I expect them to speak up and vote against any trade deal or tariff package that follows this logic.

Thank you.”

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