By Ailia Zehra
During a panel discussion on MSNBC’s “The Weeknight,” host Symone Sanders-Townsend, ex-advisor to former Vice President Kamala Harris, debunked President Donald Trump’s biggest claim about tariffs.
Sanders-Townsend called out Trump鈥檚 claim that other nations will bear the cost of tariffs 鈥 labeling it 鈥渁 lie鈥 and warning that American consumers are actually footing the bill.
She challenged assurances from Trump and his allies that the United States would 鈥渃ollect billions鈥 from foreign countries. 鈥淏ut it is a lie,鈥 she declared.
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鈥淚 think it is really incumbent on people who know better to say that when they tell you America is collecting billions of dollars from these other countries and tariffs. They鈥檙e lying because you pay the tariffs,” she added.
The host urged viewers to check their own purchasing experiences. 鈥淕o into your Amazon account, folks 鈥 or not, if you鈥檙e not using Amazon 鈥 wherever you shop, type in what you’re looking for. There is an additional tax on what you are buying nine times out of ten, and that additional tax you are paying. You know how I know? Because when you put your credit card in and you click confirm, they鈥檙e taking your money.鈥
Sanders鈥慣ownsend鈥檚 comments echo longstanding economic consensus: while tariffs are technically paid at the border by importers, those costs get passed on to consumers through higher prices.
Andrew Bates, adviser to the Cost Coalition, also warned that the Trump administration鈥檚 tariff policy is quietly draining American households, saying that it is 鈥渃osting the average American taxpayer $5,000 more a year.鈥
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