Rep. Mark Pocan on Tuesday compared President Donald Trump’s back-and-forth tariff policies to “how a monkey throws dung,” and pressed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over whom pays the tariffs.
“Who pays tariffs?” the Wisconsin Democrat asked the treasury secretary as he testified on trade policy and Trump’s budget plans before a House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee.
“It’s a very complicated question,” Bessent said.
“People pay tariffs, right?” Pocan said.
As Bessent then tried to respond, Pocan frequently cut him off, accusing him of ducking the question.
“You clearly aren’t going to answer,” Pocan said. “I’m not going to waste my time having you go, ‘Uh, uh, uh, uh.’”
Pocan criticized Bessent for the tariffs, which are at a 10% baseline for much of the world and 145% for China. The congressman cited increased costs for his own business, and alleged Bessent was more focused on impacts for Wall Street than what small businesses and American consumers are facing.
“One of my suppliers got the tariff surcharge on things. In addition to the tariff surcharge, guess what else got raised? American-made walnut plaques. That has nothing to do with tariffs, but companies take advantage and do that,” Pocan said. “Right now, we are getting screwed, right and left, because of the indiscriminate use of tariffs. That’s the reality for Main Street.”
