White House mocks Trump for answer on child care costs

The White House and Democrats mocked and ridiculed former President Trump after he delivered a lengthy answer to a question about lowering the cost of child care in which he suggested tariffs on foreign nations would address the problem.

Trump addressed the Economic Club of New York on Thursday and was asked by one member if he would commit “to prioritizing legislation to make child care affordable.”

The former president went on to give a two-minute response in which he did not articulate any specific legislation he would propose but argued the impact of tariffs would be enough to cover child care costs.

“I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I'm talking about, because child care is child care, you have to have it in this country. You have to have it,” Trump said. “But when you talk about those numbers compared to the type of numbers I'm talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that they're not used to, but they'll get used to it very quickly.”

White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates pointed out in a Friday interview on MSNBC that economists across the political spectrum have warned that tariffs would raise the price of goods, including those needed for child care.

“If you have any idea what the hell that answer means, you’re a better detective than I am, because these tariffs that he wants to apply across the board would amount to a $4,000 tax increase on working families,” Bates said on “Way Too Early.”

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) said Trump’s response was a case of “towering stupidity.”

“The people listening know it. The people around him know it. Word salad, not even pretending to have a single coherent idea. Vote for smart people,” Casten posted on the social platform X.

“Trump’s answer to address childcare costs is to promote his nearly $4,000 tax increase on middle class families,” James Singer, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, posted on X.

The cost of child care is expected to be a major issue ahead of November’s election for parents across the country. 

Vice President Harris, who is the Democratic nominee, last month said she would push for a restoration of the $3,600 child tax credit for families that was included in the American Rescue Plan in 2021 but expired the same year.

The vice president said she would also call for providing up to $6,000 in tax relief for middle- and low-income families for the first year of their child’s life.

Tariffs on foreign nations has long been a central part of Trump’s economic philosophy. He made clear in his speech to the Economic Club of New York on Thursday that he would pursue more tariffs in a second term if he wins in November, applying them to companies that outsource their jobs or manufacturing base from the United States.