Fox News host Harris Faulkner received furious criticism on April 1 after suggesting that President Donald Trump, amid stock market tumbles, tell retirees and those worried about losing their retirement savings due to his tariffs that they should treat it like a wartime sacrifice, evoking World War II in response to widespread uncertainty.
Trump has repeatedly referred to April 2 as “Liberation Day,” pledging to impose tariffs—taxes on imports—to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign goods. He has framed these tariffs as “reciprocal,” aiming to match the duties other nations place on American exports.
Global financial markets have been volatile amid the uncertainty; additionally, a stock market decline has direct consequences for retirees and those nearing retirement, as their 401(k) savings are heavily tied to market performance. A downturn could significantly reduce the value of these retirement funds, making financial security in later years more uncertain.
But Faulkner seemed unbothered by this in her remarks while on a panel overseen by colleague and former Trump White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who herself worried about "a current generation that’s very much concerned about their 401(k)s."
Faulkner offered Trump the following advice to assuage these concerns:
"Those 401(k) people who are depending, those retirees, all of that — just talking plain speak with them."
"Look, when this nation used to go to war, people in this country would support the war effort with their materials at home and making things for weaponry and all of that. We gotta do 100% buy-in over this bumpy period — just communicate."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Her remarks sparked anger immediately.
Trump, in his tariff announcement yesterday, declared April 2 as the day American industry "will be reborn," heralding what he called a "golden age of America." He emphasized that the new tariffs would not only counter foreign tariffs but also address what he described as "nonmonetary" trade barriers, including currency manipulation and "pollution havens."
Among other things, he warned foreign countries that "if you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America.”
He outlined steep tariff rates, with China set to face a 34 percent tariff, the European Union 20 percent, Japan 24 percent, and India 26 percent. On top of these, he announced a universal baseline tariff of 10 percent, meaning that some countries, like China, could effectively face a 44 percent tariff when combined with existing duties.
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