‘I’m not on the left’: Jake Tapper clashes with cabinet secretary over Trump’s tariffs

CNN’s Jake Tapper denied Sunday that he is “on the left” after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called out his “side” for “freaking out” over tariffs.

The stock market plummeted for a second straight day on Friday following President Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday of reciprocal tariffs against nations charging imports from the United States. On “State of the Union,” Tapper asked Rollins how long she expects the “tariff chaos” to last.

“Well, first of all, Jake, thank you for having me. I think it’s really important to realize that last Wednesday was when the president announced this new American order, the new American economic plan,” Rollins said. “We’re now two days in, right? You’ve got two days of data. Everyone, especially on your side — on the left — is freaking out.”

Tapper jumped in to say, “I’m not on the left,” as Rollins laughed at the CNN host’s statement before continuing to lay out her argument.

“But at the end of the day, listen, this whole concept — all right, Jake, thank you,” Rollins said. “This whole concept is about rebuilding an American economy around American goods, around American industry. We do already live under a tariff regime in this country, but it’s the tariff regime of China, of Mexico, of Brazil, of Australia, of countries that — Mexico won’t take our corn, Australia won’t take our beef.”

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“The country of Honduras takes more pork than the entire European Union does American pork, I should say. So, from our farming and ranching perspective, which is what I’m focused on, but happy to talk about anything, that it is time for a change. That’s what this president evoked last Wednesday. So I think we’ll see in short order a really positive outcome from this.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2,200 points on Friday, marking the steepest decline since June 2020 and following Thursday’s 1,679.39-point plunge.

The market plunge came after Trump announced new tariffs Wednesday on an estimated 60 countries, with higher rates targeting nations that impose steep tariffs on the U.S. While a baseline 10% tariff was applied across the board, countries like China — which has a 67% tariff on the U.S. — received a 34% tariff in return.

Rollins went on to state that 50 countries “have come to the table” since Trump’s proclaimed “Liberation Day,” adding that they are now “willing and desperate” to negotiate with the administration.

“We are the economic engine of the world. It’s finally time that someone, President Trump, stood up for America,” Rollins said.

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