In an absolutely absurd broadcast of NBC’s “Meet the Press” with notoriously woke host Kristen Welker, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) went berserk and indicated that he and the Senate Democrats would investigate President Donald Trump over his reversal on tariffs, which was posted to Truth Social.
As background, President Trump initially announced sky-high tariffs on most of America’s trading partners, alleging that they were treating America unfairly. After most of those countries backed down and came to the negotiating table, the president announced heightened tariffs on China but a tariff pause on most other countries.
Posting about that on Truth Social, he said sky-high tariffs would be used to force China to stop ripping off American businesses. He wrote, shortly after first announcing that then was a “great buying opportunity” in the stock market, that tariffs on China would be increased and tariffs on most everyone else paused. He began, “Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”
Continuing, the president said that other countries would be treated somewhat more mercifully, but still have the sword of Damocles hanging over them, writing, “Conversely, and based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs, and that these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
It was over all of that posting that Sen. Booker freaked out when speaking to Welker, claiming that the president had engaged in “insider trading” by first posting a comment about a good “buying opportunity” before pausing tariffs, something that led to a temporary boost in stock prices.
Kicking things off, Welker asked Sen. Booker if Democrats are just on a “fishing expedition” or if they have actual cause for an investigation. She asked, “Do you believe that Democrats have any real evidence that anyone in the administration profited off of the president’s policies and announcements, or is this just a fishing expedition?”
Responding, Booker rambled off topic and told her that America has “checks and balances,” saying, “You know, here’s the problem with Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. It is our whole system was designed to have checks and balances. Now, Trump has designed an administration like none we’ve ever seen before. He is attacking the very agencies that are supposed to have independent oversight of these kinds of actions.”
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Welker, annoyed, snapped at him to actually answer the question. She said, “But is there any evidence? Do you think there’s any evidence that anyone profited off of these tariffs?” Booker, without providing evidence, told her, “There is enough of an offense here. There’s enough smoke here that should demand congressional hearings.”
Watch them here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video