Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the US Commerce Department, testifies in the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that Canada and Mexico, needing to avoid looming US tariffs, must close their borders to fentanyl. The billionaire Wall Street chief executive said the 25% tariff deadline Mr. Trump issued for Saturday was aimed at forcing both countries to act against the traffick of fentanyl. He assured senators that if Canada and Mexico act fast, the tariffs could be avoided.
Lutnick restated Trump’s trade stance, calling for country-by-country across-the-board tariffs to reestablish what he described as “reciprocity” in America’s trade relationships. He said the US should build more stringent barriers against China’s access to American technology, specifically focusing on high-end AI semiconductors. Lutnick also wants to open Canada’s closed dairy market, stating his belief that the US is treated unfairly in global trade.
“We’re treated horribly by the global trading environment,” said Lutnick, quoting Trump on his previous comments about unfair treatment from trading partners, like the European Union. “We need to be treated with respect, and we can use tariffs to create reciprocity.
Responding to growing Senate concerns regarding China’s deepening foothold in AI, Lutnick vowed to make aggressive steps for safeguarding leadership of the US in the field. He said Chinese tech company DeepSeek stole US intellectual property in creating a cheap generative model for AI. Lutnick pledged strict enforcement of measures limiting Chinese access to American technology: “It’s got to end,” Lutnick declared while stressing that keeping the US on top in AI was vital.