Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently sat down with Tucker Carlson to explain why President Trump’s tariff strategy isn’t just about taxes—it’s about rewriting the rules of global trade. Bessent argued that tariffs are a powerful tool to protect American jobs and industries, not just a bargaining chip. He slammed foreign nations for preaching against tariffs while using their own to undercut U.S. workers.
Bessent pointed out that America’s first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton, used tariffs to build the nation’s economy. Trump’s approach, he said, adds a new layer: forcing other countries to play fair. “If tariffs are so bad,” Bessent asked, “why do other countries have them?” He accused allies and rivals alike of taking advantage of America’s open markets for decades.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in America’s supply chains, Bessent noted. The U.S. became too reliant on foreign countries for medicines, semiconductors, and ships. He called this a national security risk and said Trump’s tariffs aim to bring manufacturing back home. “COVID woke the world up,” he said, stressing that reindustrialization is key to avoiding future crises.
Wall Street thrived for years, Bessent admitted, but now it’s Main Street’s turn. He criticized past policies that prioritized stock markets over factories and small businesses. Blue-collar workers, not bankers, should benefit from America’s economic revival, he argued. This shift, he claimed, reflects Trump’s commitment to ordinary Americans left behind by globalization.
Bessent dismissed claims that tariffs harm consumers. If foreign countries truly believed tariffs hurt Americans, he said, they wouldn’t protest so loudly. He framed the backlash as proof that Trump’s policies are working. “This is the beginning of a process,” he declared, predicting a return to American self-reliance and industrial strength.
The Treasury Secretary also took aim at media outlets obsessed with stock market numbers. He accused them of ignoring the real economy—where jobs, wages, and local businesses matter most. Trump’s focus, Bessent insisted, is on rebuilding communities gutted by outsourcing, not propping up Wall Street portfolios.
Conservatives applaud this tough stance on trade, seeing it as a rejection of globalist deals that eroded U.S. sovereignty. Bessent’s message resonates with voters who feel forgotten by coastal elites and multinational corporations. By prioritizing tariffs and domestic production, Trump signals a return to economic nationalism.
This “America First” strategy faces fierce opposition from Democrats and big business, but Bessent remains confident. He sees tariffs as the first step in a long-overdue correction—one that puts hardworking families ahead of foreign interests and Wall Street profits. For many conservatives, that’s a fight worth winning.
