(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs will bring about an era of “price stability” and higher wages, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday on NewsNation’s “Morning in America.”
“There’s not going to be any pain for American-owned companies and American workers, because their jobs are going to come back home,” Leavitt said.
On “Liberation Day,” Trump tacked on tariffs to a plethora of foreign nations.
Trump promises tariffs will bring ‘golden age of America’
Roughly 60 countries are being singled out for the reciprocal tariffs, the majority of which are set at half of the tariff those countries place on U.S. goods. There is also a 10% baseline tariff on all countries where reciprocal tariffs are not specified.
Trump has promised the levies will bring about “the golden age of America,” but economists warn the tariffs could spur a recession.
“This is a proven economic formula that works, and the American people should trust in Trump. That’s why they elected him back to the White House,” Leavitt said.
White House claims Trump’s first-term tariffs strengthened economy
White House officials in a Wednesday press release pointed to Trump’s first-term tariffs as proof that the levies work to strengthen the U.S. economy, citing positive study results from the U.S. International Trade Commission, Economic Policy Institute and more.
But some lawmakers warn that Wednesday’s tariffs are too broad to have the same benefits. Four Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul, Ky.; Susan Collins, Maine; Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; and Mitch McConnell, Ky. — voted with Democrats on Wednesday for a resolution to undo President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.
“In general, one of my biggest concerns is we should be distinguishing between allies and our adversaries and not treating them the same way,” Murkowski said.
Trump’s Alien Enemies Act of 1798 deportation flights
Trump officials are due in court Thursday afternoon for another hearing on the March deportation flights of alleged Tren de Aragua gang members. Judge James Boasberg, who attempted to prevent the flights and says the Trump administration ignored his order, has repeatedly asked for flight details.
Boasberg is set to ask for more information on the people who were deported. When asked whether the White House is prepared to hand over that information, Leavitt said she defers to the Department of Justice.
“We maintain our position that violent foreign terrorists need to be deported from our nation’s interior,” Leavitt told NewsNation.
Alleged MS-13 gang member wrongly deported
Trump’s Justice Department on Tuesday admitted it wrongly deported a Salvadorian national living in Maryland who had received protection from removal, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.
An alleged member of MS 13, Abrego Garcia, was not convicted of gang-related crimes. He was accused in court and granted asylum in 2019.
“Although Abrego Garcia was found removable, the immigration judge granted him withholding of removal to El Salvador in an order dated October 10, 2019,” the Justice Department stated in its filing.
Leavitt doubled down on the administration’s stance, telling NewsNation: “We have always maintained that this was an individual who was on the deportation list and should have been deported, and the Department of Justice has maintained that position as well.”
Karoline Leavitt denies Politico reporting that Elon Musk is being pushed out
Politico reported that the Trump administration’s frustration with Elon Musk could lead to his White House departure sooner rather than later.
The outlet cited outside allies and administration insiders alike who reportedly have “become frustrated with his unpredictability” and view Musk “as a political liability.”
It’s a report that Trump officials have strongly pushed against since the article came out, with the Department of Government Efficiency head himself calling it “fake news.”
“This is a non-story. The president and Elon have both said publicly that Elon will leave when the mission of DOGE is complete, when he feels his work is over,” Leavitt said.
Special government employees like Musk can only work for a 130-day period, which ends next month.
Kellie Meyer, Taylor Delandro, Anna Kooiman, Alicia Nieves and Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.