Scott Bessent cornered on MSNBC after making admission about 'who pays' tariffs

Toward the end of an extensive interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, MSNBC's Eugene Robinson was afforded an opportunity to question the Donald Trump official and put him on the spot over the tariffs that went into effect at midnight.

After making a pitch to co-host Joe Scarborough that the tariffs should soon increase employment numbers, Robinson asked Bessent, "Mr. Secretary, there's one question I've got to ask you, because there has been some confusion. So we've got a tariff of, what, 50 percent on Brazil now, I think. And so if someone here, an importer wants to buy Brazilian products today or tomorrow and import them, they're going to pay 50 percent to the Treasury. And so who writes that check?"

"Well, it's a couple of things," the Trump Cabinet member replied. "First, we could have substitutions. So there's very little that only comes from Brazil, you know that it could it could come from Argentina. It could come from ––."

"Right," Robinson interrupted. "But assuming it does come from Brazil, say, or it comes from any country with a tariff, who writes the check to the treasury?"

"Well, the check is written to the person who receives it at the dock in the U.S.," Bessent tentatively answered.

"Ummhmm, the check is written by the person who receives it at the dock. So tariff is paid in this country by the importer, is that right?" the smiling Robinson persisted.

"But the Brazilian exporter could decide that they want to keep market share," Bessent protested. "They could lower their price so that the full 50 percent of the tariff, say, and ––."

"You're right, they can eat part of the cost," Robinson interjected.

"Which is what we've seen," Bessent offered.

"Okay, okay, but the check is written by the importer right at the dock?" Robinson asked once again.

"Yeah, and then, you know, the importer can pass it on or not," the Trump official blandly suggested.

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