President Donald Trump’s pause on new tariffs for US automakers drew ire and mockery on social media.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday announced a one-month exemption for the industry on imports from Mexico and Canada. It came amid fears the 25% tax hike could totally sink US vehicle manufacturers who for years have relied on cross-border cooperation.
A car dealer suggested as such this week on Fox Business, explaining how a truck was now sat indefinitely on his lot after soaring in price from $80,000 to $100,000.
Conservative attorney George Conway, a longtime critic of Trump, responded to his temporary tariff backtrack, saying: “What an incredibly incompetent clown. Maybe he should have thought about the (patently obvious) effect of tariffs on the auto industry *before* imposing them? He’s like a monkey on a keyboard.”
Washington Post op-ed columnist Catherine Rampell talked about the possible longterm implications of Trump’s moves, writing : “I’m sure the auto industry welcomes this temporary reprieve ― but again, how can businesses possibly make investment/hiring decisions in this environment?”
Others agreed: