Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) humiliated Donald Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday after he suggested that the United States “build” bananas.
The incident took place before the House Appropriations Committee as Lutnick answered questions about Trump’s tariffs especially on bananas. On average, Americans eat about 26 pounds of banana per person per year.
“Americans, by the way, love bananas. We buy billions of them a year. I love bananas. What’s the tariff on bananas?” Dean asked.
“The tariff on bananas would be representative of the countries that produce them,” Lutnick responded, which he said was “generally 10%.”
Dean pointed out that “Walmart has already increased the cost of bananas by eight percent.”
“As countries do deals with us that will go to zero, as countries do deals with us,” Lutnick began before he was cut off by Dean saying, “the cost is on the American consumer now, and on the businesses, with the confusion now.”
“Mr. Secretary, I believe you know better. I believe you recognize that a trade deficit is not something to fear,” Dean continued. “I believe you know that predictability, stability, is essential for businesses. I wish you would show that truth to this administration.”
“There’s no uncertainty: if you build in America and produce your product in America, there will be no tariff,” Lutnick said.
Dean then held up a banana and told Lutnick: “We cannot build bananas in America.”
Although bananas can be grown in parts of the country such as Hawaii, Texas and California, the current domestic produce isn’t enough to satisfy Americans. Vendors have to rely on imports from other countries, mainly Central and South America, to meet the demand.
