Trump official clashes with CBS host about if administration used AI to make tariff policy

CBS’ Margaret Brennan asked Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick whether artificial intelligence was involved in designing President Donald Trump’s broad tariff policies on Sunday.

The "Face the Nation" host confronted Lutnick on Trump’s "Liberation Day" announcement, which saw significant tariff increases across numerous countries. This included a baseline tariff of 10% on all U.S. imports that began on Saturday.

The announcement caused chaos for investors as the stock market suffered some of its worst losses since the COVID pandemic in 2020.

TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT TELLS COUNTRIES NOT TO RETALIATE AFTER SWEEPING 'LIBERATION DAY' TARIFFS

US President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled "Make America Wealthy Again" at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025.  (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Brennan linked the uncertainty in the market to what she considered "random" countries that were targeted, going so far as to ask if the administration used AI to write its policy.

"[W]hen we saw the president stand in the Rose Garden holding up that chart that you helped make, that wasn't actually tariffs," Brennan said. "That was actually confusing to investors, because it was some kind of other formula, and the countries themselves seemed kind of random. Like, why are the Heard and McDonald Islands, which don't export to the United States and are quite literally inhabited by penguins, why do they face a 10% tariff? Did you use AI to generate this?"

Lutnick laughed off the question until Brennan pressed him further on adding the Heard and McDonald Islands to the tariff list.

"What happens is, if you leave anything off the list, the countries that try to basically arbitrage America go through those countries to us," Lutnick answered, using China as an example.

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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick answered questions about Trump's tariff plan. (Screenshot/CBS)

He added, "They just built through other countries, through America. And so, the President knows that, he's tired of it, and he's going to fix that." 

White House Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett added on ABC News' "This Week" that since Trump’s announcement, over 50 countries have contacted the administration to negotiate new trade agreements. However, he acknowledged that there may be short-term pain for consumers as prices are expected to increase.

Additional tariffs are set to take effect on April 9.

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