NBC’s Chuck Todd Sounds Alarm Over Trump’s ‘Tariff Regime’ Being ‘a Very Corruptible Part of Government’
NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd argued on Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump’s “tariff regime” is “easily corruptible.”
Trump made waves this week after promising increased tariffs on goods from Canada, China, and Mexico over the southern border and fentanyl crises.
In his announcement, Trump vowed a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would remain in place until there is improvement on illegal immigration and border-related crime.
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” he wrote.
Trump similarly said a 10% tariff would be put in place on China and remain until drugs stop “pouring” into the country.
“Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” he wrote.
Todd acknowledged in an MSNBC appearance that the tariffs are a move to get countries to the negotiating table with Trump, but the level of dealmaking involved with plan presents an “potentially corruptible” part of the government.
Todd said:
What the tariff regime allows him to do is it makes him the central force and the central negotiating person on pretty much everything. I mean, you know, not to go all George Will on you, but, you know, this has been a century-long effort by Congress to essentially hand power over to the executive branch. This is one of the many powers that Congress has handed to the presidency on these tariff regimes, and so it is to go to — the feature is forcing a negotiation, the feature isn’t the tariff itself, right? That’s what Trump loves so much about this, it brings people to the table, in many ways it brings people asking for favors for him. He slaps a tariff on and an importer might say, well, hey, not on these goods. What can I do for you, Mr. President, that would take this off the tariff list? And you can see suddenly it is a favor here, a favor there. This is why it’s potentially a very corruptible part of government if we’re not careful here and if it’s not abused, and I think that certainly is a concern.
The former Meet the Press anchor added that tariffs could be “so damaging” to the country and dubbed Trump’s increased tariffs on Mexico a “guacamole tax.”
“Let me make this pretty simple. If this slaps on, it’s a guacamole tax,” Todd said. “Most avocados in this country come from Mexico. If you love guacamole, be prepared to pay a higher tax for it if these tariffs go through.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
