Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro snaps at reporter over questions about changing tariff policy: Stop that crap

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro scolded a reporter for questioning President Trump’s shifting approach to tariffs imposed against Canada and Mexico.Navarro, 75, gaggled with reporters Tuesday to defend Trump’s reversal on a threat to ratchet tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum up to 50%, and grew visibly agitated when a Sky News reporter pressed him on the president’s changing tactics.“Looks like the president is negotiating strategically.So stop with the rhetoric.

Okay? Just stop that crap,” Navarro shot back during the clash.“But he does seem to be changing his mind all the time,” the reporter countered.“Stop that crap!” Navarro snapped back, before asking where the reporter was from.Trump, 78, levied 25% across-the-board tariffs against Canada and Mexico last week with an ultimatum: they clamp down on the distribution of fentanyl precursors and illegal immigrants into the US.A day later, he created a one-month carveout for automakers, and then a day after that, he announced that for one month, the tariffs wouldn’t apply to imports subject to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) he had negotiated during his first term.

For context, about 50% of imports from Mexico and 38% of imports from Canada are subject to USMCA.The heightened tariffs Trump initially threatened on Tuesday for aluminum and steel imports came in response to Ontario’s pursuing a 25% surcharge on electricity provided to three northern states.Navarro announced before the clash with Sky News that Trump had backed off the threat to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada after Ontario Premier Doug Ford halted the electricity surcharge.

“But why is that? Why is that? It’s a fact that he’s changing his mind every single day,” the reporter followed up with Navarro.Navarro stressed that “It’s a negotiation, my friend” before denying the reporter’s suggestion that Trump’s tariff antics are “causing havoc to the stock markets...