White House Economics Chief: Trump’s Tariffs Are Reciprocity, Not Trade War

‘If they go down, we’ll go down,' said National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett speaks to reporters outside the White House, on Feb. 7, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s foreign trade policy is built on the principle of reciprocity, not protectionism, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Feb. 10.

He emphasized that U.S. tariffs are meant to match those imposed by other nations, not provoke trade wars.