Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday declared he brokered an international trade deal—but for some reason wouldn’t share any details. Or even the name of the country in question.
“I have a deal done, done, done, done,” he ranted to the New York Post in a statement. “But I need to wait for their prime minister and their parliament to give its approval, which I expect shortly.”
Sure, sounds about right.
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Lutnick, largely known by even the most loyal MAGA cronies as the president’s “disaster” aide, has come under scrutiny since Donald Trump’s second term began. The prominent tariff supporter, who promised “no recession” before markets dipped, has stoked the MAGA civil war due to his bizarre media appearances and suggestions that an “army” of Americans would soon be assembling iPhones.
He’s also drew criticism from White House officials and Trump’s closest allies for his “abrasive personality,” Politico reported, and his flawed policy advice. One Politico source said that Lutnick was “pushing crazy s---” and that he didn’t know anyone “that isn’t p--sed off at him.”
Even The Wall Street Journal reported that Lutnick’s on-air moments have “proven so challenging to White House officials that he was asked to curb them.”
But Lutnick’s still assuring The Post that he’s got it all under control.
He has remained one of the biggest fans of Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, although its left key figures like DOGE supremo Elon Musk and MAGA guru Steve Bannon skeptical, to say the least.
Trump administration officials have expressed optimism about India reaching a trade deal with Washington.
“India’s coming along great,” the president boasted Tuesday. “I think we’ll have a deal with India... they want to make a deal.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has taken the lead in U.S. trade negotiations to prevent massive “reciprocal” tariffs, insisted that talks are far along with India, Japan, and South Korea.
“Vice President Vance was in India last week. I think that he and [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi made some very good progress, so I could see some announcements on India,” Bessent said Tuesday. “I could see the contours of a deal with the Republic of Korea coming together, and then we’ve had substantial talks with the Japanese.”
But Bessent left some reporters wondering if the team had really established a plan with the foreign leaders—or just concepts of a plan.
