New Book Reveals Trump Berated Lutnick Over Tariffs, Citing $25 Billion-a-Month Windfall
Updated
Updated · The Daily Beast · Jun 19
New Book Reveals Trump Berated Lutnick Over Tariffs, Citing $25 Billion-a-Month Windfall
3 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · Jun 19
Summary
Excerpts from “Regime Change” say Donald Trump lashed out at Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick during a discussion over tariff damage to the U.S. auto industry, calling him “soft” and repeatedly insulting him.
More than 1,000 interviews and three years of reporting underpin the book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, which says Lutnick later joked to Trump that he was his “$25-billion-a-month” insult after tariffs began generating large revenues.
The excerpts also contrast that private abuse with public Cabinet meetings where Lutnick praised Trump’s tariff agenda on camera, crediting him with driving investment including a cited $165 billion for TSMC.
Other details in the book portray a chaotic White House, including gold Oval Office decorations attached with super glue, Trump boasting he had more global power than past dictators, and staff monitoring trash after silverware was discarded.