• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defends Trump's tariffs, claiming they are beneficial for Americans.
• An Associated Press reporter challenges Leavitt's assertions during a tense press briefing.
• Experts warn that tariffs may lead to higher consumer costs and job losses.
• The exchange reflects ongoing friction between the Trump administration and the Associated Press.

A heated exchange occurred during a White House briefing on Tuesday where Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended President Donald Trump's tariff policies, claiming they serve as a "tax cut for the American people." This occurred during a question-and-answer session with reporters, prominently featuring HuffPost.

The exchange escalated when Josh Boak, an Associated Press reporter, questioned the rationale behind Trump imposing tariffs, previously considered as tax hikes during his campaign. Boak queried, "I’m curious why he’s prioritising [tariffs] over the tax cuts," prompting Leavitt to respond that tariffs are merely "tax hikes on foreign countries that have been ripping us off" and emphasized Trump's commitment to tax cuts related to tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits.

Boak, determined to clarify the impact of tariffs, remarked, "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." This statement drew an irritated response from Leavitt, who described the line of questioning as insulting and asserted, “I now regret giving a question to The Associated Press” according to The Hill.

Leavitt continued to advocate for the tariffs, arguing their application would lead to increased wages and enhanced economic prosperity for Americans, asserting that fair trade has not been a reality for decades. However, economic experts have cautioned that such import taxes could potentially inflate prices for consumers and threaten jobs. Mark Zandi, from Moody’s, described the tariffs as a "lose-lose situation," foreseeing no winners in the ongoing trade disputes as reported by India Times.

These tensions not only highlight the contentious nature of Trump's economic policies but also point to a growing friction between the administration and the Associated Press, with access issues stemming from the agency’s refusal to refer to geographic placements in accordance with Trump's directives.