Trump Cabinet members actions and issues (second term): on Free Trade
Marco Rubio:
China has gotten away with unfair trade practices
For 30-something years the Chinese have gotten away with unfair trade practices. Not just unfair, outrageously unfair trade practices. Just very simple: Chinese companies can do whatever they want in America. American companies can only do what the
Chinese allow them to do in China, and it's very limited. They flood--not just us, but they flood the world with exports but they push back against any imports. They are 100% favorable--unfairly favorable to their companies and unfair to ours.
Source: Meet the Press: 2025 Trump Cabinet interviews
Apr 27, 2025
Marco Rubio:
We're resetting the baseline for new bilateral agreements
This is a global--it's not against Canada. It's not against Mexico. It's not against the E.U. It's everybody. And then, from that new baseline of fairness and reciprocity, we will engage potentially in bilateral negotiations with countries around the
world on new trade arrangements that make sense for both sides. Fairness. But, right now, it's not fair. We're going to reset the baseline and then we can enter into these bilateral agreements potentially with countries so that our trade is fair.
Source: CBS Face the Nation on 2025 Trump Cabinet
Mar 16, 2025
Elon Musk:
Will continue with India suppliers regardless of tariffs
Elon Musk's Tesla has told its Indian suppliers that the electric vehicle company's policy to procure from local firms will remain unchanged, irrespective of the tariffs the United States may impose on India-made auto components, sources have told
MoneyControl. The assurance bodes well for numerous Indian auto component manufacturers who export to Tesla at a time when uncertainty hangs over India-US trade deal and American President Donald Trump doubling down on tariff threats.
Source: MoneyControl.com on 2025 Trump Cabinet
Jul 9, 2025
Mehmet Oz:
Tariffs on India and Europe to equalize U.S. drug prices
Q: The president put this 25% tariff on India, a big drug producer. The president's trade deal with the E.U. puts a 15 percent tariff on imported medicines from Europe. How do you stop the drugmakers from passing along those costs to people on
Medicare and Medicaid?OZ: Most favored nation pricing is a good example of that. About 2/3 of bankruptcies in America are caused by healthcare expenses. About 1/3 of people, when they go to the pharmacy, they leave empty handed.
They can't afford the medication.
The president has said, "enough global freeloading." We've been covering much of the development costs for new drugs to cure cancer, [and] lots of other illnesses that are life- threatening.
Isn't it time for the American public to understand that we should not be paying three times more for the exact same medication in the same box, made in the same factory? So, the president is saying, equalize it out.
Source: CBS Face the Nation on 2025 Trump Cabinet
Aug 3, 2025
Page last updated: Aug 14, 2025