Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) criticized U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for appearing to learn of President Donald Trump’s decision to put a 90-day pause on his global tariff agenda at the same time as the rest of the country.
Greer was two hours into testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday when Trump announced on social media his plan to put a pause on the tariffs.
Upon hearing the news, Horsford asked Greer, who made no mention or reference to Trump’s plan at any point of the hearing up until then, when he was made aware of Trump’s trade policy decision. In response, Greer said he learned about Trump’s plan “a few minutes ago,” but clarified that he knew that the plan was “under discussion.”
“Under discussion, so did you know that this was under discussion?” Horsford asked Greer. “And why did you not include that as part of your opening remarks?”
In response, Greer shared that he doesn’t “typically divulge the contents of my discussions” with the president, but Horsford demanded that the trade representative share more details of the pause.
While sharing that the pause would be for 90 days and that China’s rates were actually being raised, Greer admitted he hadn’t spoken with the president since the committee hearing started.
“So the trade representative hasn’t spoken to the president of the United States about a global reordering of trade—” Horsford said, before Greer cut him off, saying, “Yes, I have. I’ve just been in the hearing with you.”
“But, yet he announced it on a tweet. WTF? Who’s in charge?” Horsford yelled.
Horsford once again asked Greer to give greater details regarding Trump’s trade pause and then went on to accuse Greer of being completely blindsided by Trump.
“It looks like your boss just pulled the rug out from under you and paused the tariffs, the taxes on the American people,” Horsford said. “There’s no strategy. You just found out three seconds ago, sitting here, we saw you.”
Greer countered by saying he’s been in discussions with Trump, but Horsford once again questioned why Greer did not include this information in his opening statement or at any point of his testimony.
The House Democrat grew irate, claiming the Trump administration had no strategy or plan and that the president is just making decisions on the fly.
“The president chose to take actions that he didn’t even have the authority to take,” Horsford said. “He’s put our economy in disarray and near collapse.”
The congressman accused Trump of partaking in market manipulation, which Greer denied.
“If it’s not market manipulation, what is it? Who’s benefiting? What billionaire just got richer?” Horsford yelled.
Horsford also decried how no Republicans were left in the hearing.
“Meanwhile, the speaker is rushing to the floor to pass a budget reconciliation to screw America by passing the biggest tax cut in history on the backs of the American people,” Horsfold yelled. “WTF! Who’s in charge? Because it sure doesn’t look like it’s the trade representative. You just got the rug pulled out from under you.”
TRUMP PAUSES TARIFFS FOR 90 DAYS ON DOZENS OF COUNTRIES, RAISES RATE ON CHINA TO 125%
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent canceled his appearance before a group of House Republicans on Wednesday amid turmoil in the stock market.
Upon Trump’s announcement of the tariff pause, the stock market rocketed upward. By the time markets closed on Wednesday, the Dow had risen by nearly 3,000 points, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes were up 9.5% and 12.2%, respectively. The S&P 500 had its third biggest single-day rise since World War II.
