[Source/Observer Network, Ruan Jiaqi]
US President Trump is accustomed to speaking off the cuff, promoting the absurd argument to his supporters that "tariffs are paid by the exporting country." This distorted theory, which seriously deviates from basic international trade principles, clearly makes Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, who has been struggling in the financial sector for decades, feel embarrassed to even mention.
According to reports by US media such as CNN and The New Republic on June 6, during a supervisory hearing held by the House Financial Services Committee of the US Congress on Tuesday, when Mnuchin tried to defend Trump's economic policies, he was thrown into disarray on this issue.
Representative Mark Pocan from Wisconsin, a Democrat, got straight to the point: "Secretary, who ultimately pays the tariffs?" As soon as he finished speaking, Mnuchin became flustered, appearing completely at a loss.
When people get flustered, they often pretend to be busy, and Mnuchin was no exception. In his panic, he instinctively wanted to interlace his fingers to hide his nervousness but was hindered by the pen in his hand. Helplessly, he had to use the other hand to adjust the microphone, trying to ease the awkwardness.
Screenshot from the video
After going through this charade, Pocan became impatient. He interrupted Mnuchin and asked again: "No, no, please answer the question. I only have five minutes (for questioning). Who pays the tariffs, Secretary? Come on, this is a simple question."
"I hope he can answer this question, but he keeps avoiding it," Pocan said to the chairperson of the meeting.
Mnuchin continued to evade directly. According to The New Republic, his voice even trembled slightly, "Well, sir, if those members...if those exporters...uh...if they don't like tariffs so much, why don't they...I think you want me to say..."
Pocan interrupted him again, "Do you remember what the question was? I'm not sure if you remember. (I asked), who pays the tariffs?"
Cornered, Mnuchin stiffened his face and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth, "This is a very complex issue..."
Pocan lost all patience and demanded to "reclaim my time" (Reclaiming my time). Then he asked and answered himself, "The public pays the tariffs, right?"
"No, no, no," Mnuchin muttered softly, but Pocan ignored him. He repeated three times that he would "reclaim my time" and gestured to the chairperson.
"It's obvious that you're not going to answer, I don't want to waste time listening to your 'um um um um,'" he added.
Mnuchin's eyes shifted nervously, his lips trembling without coherence.
According to Vox News, "Reclaiming my time" is a procedural phrase commonly used by US congressmen in hearings and other formal occasions. Literally meaning "recover my time," it actually refers to a congressman interrupting a witness's speech to reclaim their allocated questioning time.
This behavior usually occurs when the witness gives long-winded answers, evades questions, or strays off-topic. The congressman uses this to emphasize their control over time, demanding a direct response or terminating the conversation to preserve remaining time for other questions, ensuring the effectiveness of the questioning.
It is worth noting that the previous instance where "Reclaiming my time" went viral involved another unfortunate Treasury Secretary of Trump's administration—Steven Mnuchin, who served in his first presidential term.
In 2017, during a hearing held by the House Financial Services Committee, senior group member Democrat Maxine Waters questioned Trump's relationship with Russian banks. Newly appointed at the time, Mnuchin began by praising Waters before addressing her question.
As a result, Mnuchin's attempt backfired. Waters believed he was stalling and repeatedly emphasized "Reclaiming my time" to interrupt him. After their "duet" video went viral on social media, "Reclaiming my time" became an internet meme (Meme).
Since then, "reclaiming my time" has not only been a procedural operation but also a political expression. According to Vox News, the phrase quickly became a slogan to criticize the Trump administration at that time.
Waters (above), Mnuchin (below). Screenshot from the video.
Eight years later, history seems to have come full circle, striking Mnuchin. According to the complete video released by Forbes News, after a round of fruitless dialogue with Mnuchin, Pocan persisted, returning to the original question: "Let me ask again, Secretary, who pays the tariffs?"
This time, Mnuchin finally stopped stuttering but still dodged the issue. He responded, "History will prove that it is a complicated situation involving multiple factors, depending on different periods, who ultimately bears the tariffs."
Pocan immediately exposed the truth, realizing Mnuchin knew the answer all along, "That's exactly the problem. You are well-educated and have an impressive resume, but you cannot answer 'who bears the tariffs.' Because you simply don't want to answer."
He then pointed out, "You keep saying this is a complex issue. But it isn't. Consumers are paying for Trump's tariffs. That's the fact!"
"Tariffs are constantly being raised and canceled, causing chaos," Pocan criticized Trump's tariff policy for its frequent changes. "I compare them to monkey throwing feces. You never know where they'll land, and that's what worries me as a small business owner."
According to Reuters, at the hearing, Mnuchin claimed that the Trump administration is currently negotiating trade agreements with 17 out of 18 trade partners considered "very important" by the United States, and trade agreements with some countries may be announced as early as this week, but no specific details were provided.
Mnuchin also claimed that many trade partners offered favorable terms, expecting significant reductions in tariffs and non-tariff barriers, as well as improvements in currency manipulation and subsidies. He boasted that the United States could complete 80% to 90% of its trade agreements by the end of the year, perhaps even faster.
Mnuchin also admitted that the Trump administration has not yet begun talks with China.
According to the website of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce on May 7, spokespersons announced: In response to an invitation from the Swiss government, Politburo member and Vice Premier of the State Council He Lifeng will visit Switzerland from May 9 to 12, holding talks with Swiss leaders and relevant parties. During his visit to Switzerland, Vice Premier He Lifeng, as the lead negotiator for China in the economic and trade talks, will hold discussions with US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin. From May 12 to 16, Vice Premier He Lifeng will go to France to co-host the tenth high-level economic and financial dialogue between China and France.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce expressed that recently, senior US officials have repeatedly hinted at adjusting tariff measures and have actively conveyed information through various channels, hoping to discuss tariff issues with China. The Chinese side carefully evaluated the information provided by the US side. Based on careful consideration of global expectations, Chinese interests, calls from US businesses and consumers, the Chinese side decided to agree to engage in contact with the US side.
The spokesperson emphasized that China's position remains consistent. Whether it comes to fighting or negotiating, China's determination to safeguard its own development interests will not change, nor will its stance and goals of defending international fairness and justice and maintaining international trade and economic order. If it comes to fighting, we will fight to the end; if it comes to negotiating, our door remains open. Any dialogue or negotiation must be conducted under the principles of mutual respect, equal consultation, and mutual benefit and reciprocity.
This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501578562042970635/
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