At the March 11, 2025, White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made several misleading claims about tariffs, trade, and the U.S. economy. Here’s a quick fact-check:

1. “Tariffs are a tax cut for Americans.”

→ False. Tariffs are a tax on imports, which U.S. businesses and consumers ultimately pay through higher prices.

2. “The U.S. has been ripped off for decades.”

→ Misleading. The U.S. has the strongest economy in the world and benefits from trade. Some industries face challenges, but trade deficits don’t mean “losing.”

3. “Canada hasn’t treated us fairly.”

→ Half-truth. Canada does protect its dairy industry, but so does the U.S. with farm subsidies. Also, Canada had no tariffs on U.S. steel or aluminum from 2021–2024—until Trump’s policies triggered retaliation.

4. “The stock market drop is just a snapshot in time.”

→ Deflection. The markets reacted negatively to tariffs because investors expect higher costs, inflation, and trade retaliation.

5. “The U.S. is becoming a manufacturing superpower.”

→ Exaggeration. Manufacturing job growth has been slow, and automation—not trade—is the main reason for past job losses.

6. “Trump believes in fair and balanced trade.”

→ Contradiction. If fairness was the goal, why are Canada and Mexico facing a 25% tariff while China only gets a 10% tariff?

The Bottom Line:

Leavitt’s statements oversimplify trade issues and ignore how tariffs actually work. Tariffs don’t “rip off” foreign countries—they raise costs for Americans. If trade is about fairness, why hit U.S. allies harder than China?

Would love to hear people’s thoughts—do these tariffs make sense to you?