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'Want me to answer?' CNN host pushes back as Trump aide says 'Ford isn't really American'
March 27, 2025 6:27PM ET
Peter Navarro, a counselor to President Donald Trump, clashed with CNN's Kasie Hunt on Thursday after he attempted to claim that American automakers weren't really American.
Navarro claimed that the tariffs would ultimately put more money in Americans' pockets, as much as $1,000, he said at one point.
CNBC reported Thursday, "Prices that consumers pay on the lot could increase by $4,000 to $15,000 per vehicle, depending on how much of the car is imported, according to several analysts’ estimates."
"I understand the big picture argument, but again, if you're an American family and you need a new car, is this weekend the best weekend to go out and get one?" asked Hunt. "Because I understand you're making a long-term play, but I don't understand how you can plausibly say that in the short term, car prices are not going up."
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Navarro laughed, saying, "We've seen these concerns before," with economists warning of "massive inflationary shocks." However, Navarro toed the Trump line that tariffs will be paid for by the importing country.
"We've already had $3 trillion across our economy, and we feel really good," Navarro said. He did not provide a source for the number.
Hunt asked about the "big three" automakers in the U.S. and whether tariffs would cost the companies so much that they could respond by making staffing cuts.
"So, so, the first thing that's really important to understand is that the big three so-called American companies, GM, Ford, Stellantis, they're not, they're not really American companies," Navarro said, making quotation marks with his fingers.
"General Motors isn't an American company?" Hunt pushed back.
"They have, well, in this sense, Kasie, this is really interesting," Navarro continued.
"Ford isn't an American company?" she asked.
"Hang on," Navarro tried to interject.
"They built Ford tough?" Kasie quipped.
"Kasie, you want me to answer the question?" Navarro said.
"Go ahead," she replied, shaking her head at Navarro's comments.
"This is really interesting. They have less American content in their cars than some of the other companies that are operating in America, like Honda. Okay. So, when you ask about—" he continued before she cut him off.
"So, Honda is a more American car company?" she questioned.
Navarro went on about engines made in Korea and drivetrains with better-paying jobs in Germany. He ultimately pledged that everything Trump does will become a "golden age" for America.
See the clip below or at the link here.
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