Peter Navarro, President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, slammed Sky News’ Mark Stone on Tuesday after the reporter pressed him on the president seemingly “changing his mind by the hour” with his plans to impose tariffs on Canada.
“You don’t understand what a negotiation looks like,” Navarro said to Stone outside the White House. “The president is negotiating strategically, so stop with the rhetoric, OK? Just stop that crap.”
“But he does seem to be changing his mind all the time,” Stone replied.
“Stop that crap. That’s a bunch of a cra —,” replied Navarro, who then asked who Stone worked for.
On Tuesday, the president unveiled plans to double 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from Canada.
The Trump administration then hit reverse on the plans hours later as Ontario Premier Doug Ford and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — in a joint statement — said that the move to double America’s tariffs was off, along with Canada’s plans for a 25% surcharge on imported electricity to some U.S. states.
Stone, in his clash with Navarro, continued to question the trade adviser over the administration’s policy turnarounds.
“But why is that? Why is that? It’s a fact that he’s changing his mind every single day,” said Stone, who once checked Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani at the infamous Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference in 2020.
“It’s a negotiation, my friend,” Navarro replied.
“Right? So he doesn’t mean it? It’s all part of a negotiation, and it’s causing havoc to the stock markets,” Stone said.
“It’s not causing havoc,” said Navarro as he shook his head.
“It is, it is. They are tumbling,” replied Stone as the Trump adviser tried to dodge him.
The markets swung wildly and erratically on Tuesday, as they’ve done for much of the last few weeks. Even Trump has acknowledged that his polices could create a period of “disturbance” for the economy.
Outside the White House on Tuesday, Stone continued to press Navarro, who wasn’t a fan of the questioning.
“Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop,” Navarro said.
“I’m allowed to ask questions, aren’t I? Do you not believe that it’s causing havoc for the stock market?” asked Stone before Navarro scolded him.
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You can check out more from Navarro’s clash with Stone here.