MSNBC’s Catherine Rampell: ‘Is Trump So Obsessed with Trade Deficits Because He’s Used to Not Paying for Things?’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT Trump s ░░░░░░░░ Where s like in ░░░░░░░░ one we re going ░░░░░░░░ Have x amount to ░░░░░░░░ right Tariffs are a ░░░░░░░░ tool If there s ░░░░░░░░ if there s a ░░░░░░░░ on the other end ░░░░░░░░ If there s a ░░░░░░░░ policy that happens Donald ░░░░░░░░ has for decades been ░░░░░░░░ with trade deficits Yes ░░░░░░░░ And I ve heard ░░░░░░░░ amazing descriptions from people ░░░░░░░░ how what trade deficits ░░░░░░░░ But let s take ░░░░░░░░ for instance One of ░░░░░░░░ main reasons we have ░░░░░░░░ trade deficit with Canada ░░░░░░░░ other words we buy ░░░░░░░░ from them than they ░░░░░░░░ us or they sell ░░░░░░░░ more than than we ░░░░░░░░ them It s because ░░░░░░░░ oil right We use ░░░░░░░░ oil We consume it ░░░░░░░░ s a great relationship ░░░░░░░░ the pipelines go from ░░░░░░░░ into the United States ░░░░░░░░ s not a sign ░░░░░░░░ anybody cheating anybody It ░░░░░░░░ a sign of the ░░░░░░░░ that they sell something ░░░░░░░░ want Trump acts as ░░░░░░░░ oh you know they ░░░░░░░░ we re sending them ░░░░░░░░ for nothing No we ░░░░░░░░ getting stuff in return ░░░░░░░░ That s the point ░░░░░░░░ the trade In the ░░░░░░░░ way that you go ░░░░░░░░ the grocery store and ░░░░░░░░ give them money but ░░░░░░░░ get groceries in return ░░░░░░░░ re not expecting You ░░░░░░░░ give them You know ░░░░░░░░ sell them Great But ░░░░░░░░ have a trade deficit ░░░░░░░░ your grocery store Yes ░░░░░░░░ have a trade deficit ░░░░░░░░ your grocery store with ░░░░░░░░ barber with your doctor ░░░░░░░░ anybody that you engage ░░░░░░░░ trade with whether we ░░░░░░░░ talking about inter country ░░░░░░░░ or inter business you ░░░░░░░░ business consumer trade that ░░░░░░░░ just how things work ░░░░░░░░ I do want there ░░░░░░░░ a part of me ░░░░░░░░ wonders like is Trump ░░░░░░░░ obsessed with trade deficits ░░░░░░░░ he s used To ░░░░░░░░ Paying for things You ░░░░░░░░ He s getting something ░░░░░░░░ not import You know ░░░░░░░░ thinks we should continue ░░░░░░░░ get the toys from ░░░░░░░░ and the vanilla from ░░░░░░░░ and maybe the iphones ░░░░░░░░ from from India But ░░░░░░░░ shouldn t pay anything ░░░░░░░░ them Right It s ░░░░░░░░ it s such a ░░░░░░░░ view of the world ░░░░░░░░ we shouldn t be ░░░░░░░░ stuff from these other ░░░░░░░░ And it s really ░░░░░░░░ what his objective is ░░░░░░░░ it s well we ░░░░░░░░ want to raise the ░░░░░░░░ right We want to ░░░░░░░░ want to get the ░░░░░░░░ in exchange That s ░░░░░░░░ the tariffs But then ░░░░░░░░ they re a negotiating ░░░░░░░░ then they re we ░░░░░░░░ not going to get ░░░░░░░░ revenue Maybe he wants ░░░░░░░░ bring the manufacturing jobs ░░░░░░░░ But to your point ░░░░░░░░ s no plan for ░░░░░░░░ of that And a ░░░░░░░░ of this doesn t ░░░░░░░░ make economic sense And ░░░░░░░░ if there s no ░░░░░░░░ of law we re ░░░░░░░░ going to probably entice ░░░░░░░░ entrepreneurs to invest here ░░░░░░░░ what is the plan ░░░░░░░░ does he care so ░░░░░░░░ about trade