this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
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Summary

AP reporter Josh Boak clashed with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt over Trump's tariff policy, which she called “a tax cut for the American people.”

Boak challenged her claim: "I'm sorry, have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don't get charged on foreign companies, they get charged on importers," Boak said.

Leavitt accused him of questioning her economic knowledge and later regretted calling on AP.

The tense exchange highlights ongoing White House-AP tensions, as a federal judge prepares to hear AP’s legal challenge over press access on March 20.

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[–] UncleGrandPa@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago

keep in mind.....anyone chosen to speak for the administration...they have been chosen specifically because they have no idea what they are talking about.

this makes it much easier for them to tell a convincing lie (as they are only repeating what they are told).....and allows the administration to deny culpability if the are caught.

[–] suite403@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

I don't know how this lady is more insufferable than the last.

[–] _lilith@lemmy.world 17 points 5 hours ago

Accused a reporter of questioning her

[–] IHeartBadCode@fedia.io 171 points 18 hours ago (4 children)

Leavitt accused him of questioning her economic knowledge

Which is none. Her degree is in communications and politics which she got while riding a softball scholarship. She was a press writer for Trump's first term, worked as a communications director for Elise Stefanik during the interim, and now she is Press Secretary. None of that is fucking economics. She has zero fucking knowledge of how fucking economics works, that's just stating fucking fact. When it comes to economics she is a fucking idiot.

It's not even a fucking question. Josh Boak has worked in DC economics reporting since 2013, he literally has more economic knowledge in his left pinky fingernail than that stupid fuckface has in her entire fucking life. That is just FACT.

later regretted calling on AP

Because she is a thin skinned bitch. She absolutely cannot stand that people could possibly know MORE than her dumb fucking softball is about as good as it is ever going to get for her, ass could ever know. She's just a fucking idiot, that's all there is to it.

Yes you fucking idiot, yes, Boak knows more by measures larger than stellar bodies are measured, about economics than you. For a White House that gets up in arms about DEI hires, holy shit I dare someone to explain her dumbass.

[–] kane@femboys.biz 8 points 5 hours ago

This context is so important!

When called out on your lies, and you are unable to prove otherwise, you should concede your argument. But I suppose the point wasn't to be truthful.

[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 5 hours ago

In summary, no one is questioning her economic knowledge because she has none. Just as no one would ever question her ability to feel shame or empathy.

[–] Apocalypteroid@lemmy.world 23 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Sir, your prose is sublime.

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 7 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

It's beating around the bush too much for me. I'm not reading politics for the fees fees or "slams". I'm here because it's a moral and ethical duty to stay informed. If I want to be entertainment I stop paying attention.

She is not an idiot. She knows exactly what she's doing. Every time one of these fascist ghouls spouts dogshit, their lies and propaganda need to be explicitly highlighted with extreme candor, by everyone.

This isn't "questioning her knowledge of economics". It wouldn't matter if she had an economics PHD on tariffs. She is spouting a state propaganda LIE that is identical to the lies of Russian state media. Her knowledge is irrelevant. She knows she's lying. We know she's lying. Nothing else matters. Her intentions are to lie and deceive. She is a fascist cuntrag, and when their dictatorship arrives at its logical conclusion, she should be tried and hung in the Hague like the rest of them.

She is aiding a fascist coup. Never forget that.

[–] Apocalypteroid@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

Oh, I haven't. That's why I'm here instead of Reddit.

[–] PointyReality@lemmy.world 95 points 19 hours ago (5 children)

Man people are dumb, for those that still think this is a good idea here is the logic. Tariffs increase the price to bring in goods to a country, the supplier will typically add this additional price increase and charge it back onto the buyer to absorb. Meaning the buyer will see an increase.

Now let’s say Trump is doing this to bring production back to the States, in order to be successful you need to keep costs down as low as possible. This is also the reason alot of countries sent their production overseas because it’s cheaper (wages for example). So in order for the US to even begin competing with production giants like China and keep costs down means workers in the US have to get used to the idea of China style wages and work conditions. Hence Trumps reasoning for giving more power back to companies so that in X years US becomes the new production hub. But the pain to get there is going to be astronomical for the US. Feel free to add or point out any illogical thought processes in my opinion.

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 2 points 5 hours ago

The same people saying we can't raise the minimum wage cuz it will raise the cost of goods are somehow unable to understand this.

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 44 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

Mind you, bringing production back to the US will never lower costs, completely regardless of the fact that labor and environmental compliance is more costly. All tariffs do is set a price floor for imported products that domestic supplies now only have to match.

[–] SatanClaus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 19 hours ago

This comment sounds completely in line with reality lol. Weird reading something like that in these times.

[–] BrokenGlepnir@lemmy.world 12 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

I don't think it's just the pain to get there. It's also painful just being there for the lower class.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 6 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Which is everyone below the top 30%. They're eliminating the middle class.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 3 points 9 hours ago

Top 1% or less, more likely.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 2 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Is the real way to stick it to Canada (and others) is set a limit on the amount of product they can export to the US?

[–] Sunsofold@lemmings.world 6 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Well...

First off, why do you want to stick of to Canada. They, by and large, have been good neighbors to the US. The only people who get angry at Canada are usually Canadians.

That aside, limiting imports limits supply, likely increasing prices for whatever product has been limited. It's not that different from the tariffs, as far as the consumer is concerned. The big difference is that it sets up a first mover benefit for the exporters/importers (if you get your whole supply across before the cutoff, you get to sell all of it, whereas later sellers might only be able to get part of their supply across. Faster companies benefit from this, to unknown effect.) as opposed to a capital/demand limit from the tariffs. (higher tariffs require higher prices, which often prices out some amount of people who would buy the item. Importers can try to narrow their unit margin or spend capital to sell more slowly. Companies with more capital can find it easier to afford either/both.)

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I personally don’t want to stick it to Canada, but tariffs are 1D chess.

Even subsidizing makes more sense.

[–] Sunsofold@lemmings.world 5 points 13 hours ago

One of the big issues is that tariffs are protectionist in the same way as a space suit. Yeah, if the outside is hostile, it can protect you, but you better have things inside the suit already working to provide you with everything you need or you'll end up far, far worse off.

[–] PointyReality@lemmy.world 1 points 15 hours ago

Not really, because that harms the production within the US as well. Produce less means selling less, leas profits means less workers needed.

[–] TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee 53 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

"I now regret letting a real reporter show how stupid I am, and how stupid I think the American people are."- Dumb Reich Barbie.

[–] baronvonj@lemmy.world 20 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

This is the person whose tweet that directly spilled the beans was directly referenced by the judge as the reason an injunction was placed on Trump's spending freeze order.

[–] Fingolfinz@lemmy.world 22 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

The other day my mom asked me “wouldn’t you rather pay tariffs than income taxes?” I’m in the bottom percent of tax payers and she’s even worse off. I still haven’t responded.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Income taxes are relative to your own income. Tariffs don't give a shit about your income or your ability to pay them.

[–] Fingolfinz@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

Yeah, she’s a dumb ass

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 15 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

We're still paying income taxes.

Seems like an easy, non-confrontational response.

[–] Fingolfinz@lemmy.world 9 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

I actually haven’t responded because I just think she’s so stupid for even saying that and have nothing much to say to her without being mean

[–] SFX@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Sometimes, you gotta be a little mean.

[–] Fingolfinz@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Ive called her the “c” word before 😬

[–] this_1_is_mine@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago

And sometimes you have to double down when they aren't listening.

[–] Fluke@lemm.ee 1 points 9 hours ago

Stupid does as stupid is.

[–] doug@lemmy.today 18 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Well he won’t be allowed back in the press room anytime soon.

[–] sleezer@lemmy.world 15 points 18 hours ago

Yeah that is true. It's good to see someone call out the lies when they happen though.

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 9 points 17 hours ago
[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 7 points 16 hours ago

LOL, when in doubt blame it on lugenpresse, oops, I mean the "fake news".

It's not that you are a fucking idiot and/or a fucking LIAR, it's that the question came from AP.