‘I Regret Giving You a Question’ [WATCH]

A heated exchange took place at the White House on Tuesday between press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Associated Press (AP) reporter Josh Boak over President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

The confrontation occurred as Boak questioned whether Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China contradicted his campaign promise of tax cuts.

Trump initially announced a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, along with a 10% tariff on China, citing these nations’ roles in facilitating illegal immigration and the influx of drugs into the U.S.

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Since then, the president has doubled tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Boak pressed Leavitt on the economic impact, characterizing the tariffs as “tax hikes” rather than tax cuts.

“If we could just step back for a second, when President Trump last addressed the [Business Roundtable], his big push was on tax cuts. He’s going there today as he’s proposing tax hikes in the form of tariffs,” Boak stated.

“I’m curious why he’s prioritizing that over the tax cuts.”

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Leavitt quickly rejected the claim, asserting that tariffs are not tax hikes but rather a mechanism to level the playing field for American workers.

“He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that again have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people and the president is a staunch advocate of tax cuts, as you know,” Leavitt responded.

“He campaigned on no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, no taxes on Social Security benefits. He is committed to all three of those things, and he expects Congress to pass them later this year.”

Boak continued to press the issue, attempting to explain the logistics of tariffs and their impact on importers.

The press secretary dismissed his argument, maintaining that tariffs would ultimately benefit American workers by keeping revenues within the country and increasing wages.

“I’m sorry, but have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have,” Boak challenged.

“They don’t get charged on foreign companies, they get charged on the importers.”

Leavitt pushed back, defending the administration’s stance.

“And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, as I said at the beginning, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again,” she stated.

“And I think it’s insulting that you’re trying to test my knowledge of economics and the decisions that this president has made. I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press.”

The exchange comes amid ongoing tensions between the White House and the AP.

The Biden-era media outlet was recently banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One after refusing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

The AP responded with a lawsuit against Leavitt, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich.

However, a judge declined to grant the AP immediate reinstatement of their White House access.

Trump announced on Tuesday that his administration would be doubling tariffs on Canada, citing Ontario’s 25% tariff on electricity imports to the U.S. The new measure, set to take effect Wednesday, will impose a 50% tariff on all steel and aluminum entering the U.S. from Canada.

The tariff policies have been a key part of Trump’s trade agenda.

On Feb. 4, the administration announced tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China with a reciprocal tariff clause.

Following the announcement, Mexico and Canada implemented stricter enforcement measures at the U.S.-Mexico border and on fentanyl trafficking, leading to a temporary postponement of the tariffs.

Trump later confirmed in a Feb. 27 Truth Social post that he planned to double China’s tariffs to 20% and move forward with the levies on Mexico and Canada due to the “very high and unacceptable levels” of drugs entering the U.S.

Despite initially ruling out any negotiations, the administration announced Thursday that tariffs on Mexican imports under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) would be delayed until April 2.

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