Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: US News, Donald Trump, Politics, UK News
Anish Vij
A Donald Trump ally suggested to a UK reporter that even a 'kindergartener' would understand US policy, in what was a pretty hectic interview.
The US president’s deputy assistant Sebastian Gorka made the comment on BBC's Newsnight, as host Victoria Derbyshire quizzed him on the new tariffs.
Last night (2 April), Trump announced that there will be a 'reciprocal' 10 percent tariff on British imports, adding to the 25 percent surcharge on car and steel imports.
Advert
Derbyshire asked Gorka what the new tariffs would mean for US-UK relations, and the London-born politician was very bullish, to say the least.
"I find it strange that you’ve been afforded such an exceptional status and you’re complaining? I’m not sure I understand that?" he said.
Watch below:
Gorka then added: "If you don’t discriminate against US goods, then the other partner - in which case the UK - will not have their goods discriminated against.
"It’s very, very simple. A kindergartener should be able to get that."
Advert
The BBC journalist went on to ask if Trump had just started a global trade war, when Gorka replied: "This zero-sum game thing is really quite amusing.
"This is about equitable relations for everyone’s exports.
"I don’t understand how this is difficult for you to understand. Is this complicated for you to understand?"
The presenter, who remained unfazed during the confrontation, continued to quote Yale University researchers as she was spoken over.
Advert
She stated: "A research centre at Yale, The Budget Lab, found that tariffs at 20 percent would cost, for example, US households up to $4,200 every year; winner of the Nobel memorial prize in economic sciences, Joseph Stiglitz, said 'virtually all economists think that the impact of the tariffs will be very bad for America and the world - they will almost surely be inflationary'. Are they wrong?"
But her opponent said: "Are these the same experts who warned you that masks will save you from Covid and it didn’t come from a lab?"
After offering to provide more expert opinion, Gorka again shut Derbyshire down, saying: "No, you're doing it again.
"Stop. Let me respond or you don't invite me on your show. It's that simple. Can I respond?"
Advert
"Go ahead," Derbyshire said, as she remained cool throughout.
As the interview was drawing to an eventual end, he threatened to 'curtail' the interview if she kept 'interrupting' him.
Gorka has clashed with media in the past after once calling former US president Joe Biden a 'senile bag of oatmeal' before his mic was cut.