Despite waning American economic optimism and a decline in the first-quarter real gross domestic product, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller maintained Thursday that President Donald Trump’s economic policies will work to lower prices for Americans.
Due to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, Miller said countries across the globe are lining up to make deals with the U.S. and that those deals will be mutually beneficial.
“We’ll end up with a deal in these cases where, yes, the other country has their own demands and their own interests, but nothing will go into effect that doesn’t serve the interests of America and the American people,” Miller told reporters at a press conference.
When pressed on potential increases to the price of cars, the White House said Americans won’t see higher prices on automobiles because of how tariffs incentivize domestic manufacturing.
One reporter asked Miller about statements from General Motors and Ford saying tariffs would cost them billions or being unable to commit to “not raising prices because of tariffs.”
“While manufacturing ramps up, American consumers may pay more, do you agree?” the reporter asked.
“Not on cars, they won’t,” Miller replied, “because again, there’s now a massive economic incentive for automobile producers to expand production in the United States and whatever they make here, there will be no tariff.”
Another reporter asked about a letter to the administration from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce asking for small business tariff relief.
“They say that’s necessary in order to save small businesses and stave off a recession,” the reporter said. “Is the administration considering small business tariff relief?”
“The relief for small businesses is going to come in the form of the largest tax cut in American history,” Miller said, referring to Trump’s plans for the budget bill from Congress. “The president has made clear that there will be 100% expensing for investment in the United States. Companies that invest in the United States will be able to deduct 100% of that cost from their tax liability.”
“This will be the most pro-small business tax bill in American history,” Miller added.
Miller was asked to respond to reports of Americans paying more for groceries, which went up by 0.4% in March, though inflation overall has seen some decline recently.
“He did lower prices across the board,” Miller said, pointing to inflation and gas prices coming down, growth in American jobs and major increases in investment in the U.S. “The reality is that we can either surrender economically to China” – the second-strongest economy in the world, after the U.S. – “or we can reclaim and reshore our manufacturing base and our industrial needs.”
“As we develop advanced manufacturing techniques, increased AI, increased robotics, it will be cheaper and cheaper and cheaper to manufacture in America,” Miller concluded.
