The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Howard Lutnick to serve as President Trump’s commerce secretary.
Lutnick secured the nomination in a 51-45 vote.
Congratulations to our new Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick! pic.twitter.com/8ohzAAA2o0
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) February 18, 2025
Lutnick is expected to play a strategic role in Trump’s trade agenda.
#BREAKING: Howard Lutnick has officially been confirmed as President Trump’s Secretary of Commerce
Lutnick will work with Trump on making sure NOBODY takes advantage of the United States in trade.
Congratulations, Secretary Lutnick!
pic.twitter.com/amrFXJIUTm
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 18, 2025
From the Associated Press:
At the Commerce Department, Lutnick, who was CEO at the investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, will oversee 50,000 employees who do everything from collecting economic statistics to running the census to issuing weather reports. But he’s likely to spend a lot of time — along with Jamieson Greer, Trump’s nominee to be the top U.S. trade negotiator — managing the president’s aggressive plans to impose import taxes on U.S. trading partners, including allies and adversaries alike.
The Senate vote to confirm Lutnick was 51-45.
ADVERTISEMENTTrump views the tariffs as a versatile economic tool. They can raise money to finance his tax cuts elsewhere, protect U.S. industries and pressure other countries into making concessions on such issues as their own trade barriers, immigration and drug trafficking. Mainstream economists mostly view tariffs as counterproductive: They are paid by import companies in the United States, which try to pass along the higher costs to consumers and can thereby add to inflationary pressures throughout the economy.
At his confirmation hearing last month, Lutnick dismissed as “nonsense’’ the idea that tariffs contribute to inflation. He expressed support for deploying across-the-board tariffs ”country by country’’ to strong-arm other countries into lowering barriers to American exports.
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) February 18, 2025
WATCH:
BREAKING: The Senate just voted to confirm Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary.
Lutnick is one of the forces pushing President Trump to eliminate the income tax and fund the government using tariffs. DO IT, MR. SECRETARY!
My confidence in Lutnick is very high because Democrats… pic.twitter.com/tuATxFA0Sv
— George (@BehizyTweets) February 18, 2025
Per Fox News:
Lutnick passed his procedural vote last week after the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted 16-12 to motion for cloture on February 5.
Lutnick said he aligns with Trump’s “trade and tariff agenda” which seeks to remedy trade imbalances by imposing reciprocal tariffs. His confirmation indicates a milestone for Trump’s “America First” policy agenda.
Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, is one of the wealthiest people to serve in a presidential administration. Lutnick vowed to divest his financial interests upon confirmation to remain impartial.
“My plan is to only serve the American people. So I will divest — meaning I will sell all of my interests, all of my business interests, all of my assets, everything,” Lutnick said. “I’ve worked together with the Office of Government Ethics, and we’ve reached agreement on how to do that, and I will be divesting within 90 days upon my confirmation.”
ADVERTISEMENTDuring his confirmation hearing on January 29, Lutnick said he would sell his businesses and elect someone else to lead them once confirmed. Lutnick aligned closely with Trump’s trade and tariff policies during the hearing. He said it’s “nonsense” that tariffs create inflation and advocated for reciprocity.
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.
View the original article here.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!