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US PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump nominated Howard Lutnick, the co-chair of his transition team, as his commerce secretary.
Lutnick has previously said that America can only “become a great country again” if Ireland stops “running a trade surplus at our expense”.
It’s a hint at what the next Trump presidency could mean for Ireland.
A trade surplus exists when one country exports more than it imports.
Lutnick will lead the country’s tariff and trade agenda, with “additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative,” Trump said in a statement.
His appointment is also expected to bring a tougher stance on China from the incoming administration.
It’s nonsense that Ireland of all places runs a trade surplus at our expense. We don’t make anything here anymore—even great American cars are made in Mexico. When we end this nonsense, America will be a truly great country again. You’ll be shocked!
— Howard Lutnick (@howardlutnick) October 16, 2024
At a mid-election cabinet meeting this morning, Taoiseach Simon Harris is expected to brief ministers on economic security in the context of geopolitical instability.
Many party leaders have expressed the need for a more protected economic model in Ireland since the election of Trump.
Cabinet, who will take up a caretaker role after the election, will hear that the Taoiseach expects the economic situation to be challenging in the near future. Harris will tell ministers that the next Government will need to protect the economy more.
This could include working with partners in the EU and in Ireland so the country is well positioned to mitigate any economic shocks. Harris will tell the Cabinet that an all-of-Government approach will be needed to make sure the economy is protected as a result.
Tariffs are a key part of Trump’s economic agenda and he has promised sweeping duties on all imports when he returns to the White House. The Commerce Department’s role will be aimed at boosting American industry.
Trump’s administration is expected to direct the Department to look at hardening the United States’ shift to becoming a large exporter of critical technology such as semiconductors and computer chips, to compete with Beijing.
Lutnick has also expressed support for a tariff level of 60% on Chinese goods alongside a 10% tariff on all other imports. Both are among proposals that Trump has floated, with the Republican taking aim at countries which have been “ripping us off for years”.
In Trump’s first term he engaged in a tariffs war with China, with the US Trade Representative’s office issuing duties on imports from the world’s second-biggest economy.
Lutnick also previously lamented the loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States and offshoring to China.
Lutnick was initially tipped to head the Treasury Department but a tussle over the position spilled into the public eye last weekend.
Trump’s health secretary pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed support for Lutnick, saying on social media that “Bitcoin will have no stronger advocate” than him.
The world’s richest man Elon Musk also threw his support behind Lutnick for Treasury chief while calling the other top contender, hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, “a business-as-usual choice.”
“Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt, so we need change one way or another,” said Musk, who Trump has tapped to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency.
Lutnick recalls losing hundreds of employees in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, a tragedy narrowly he avoided as he was taking his son to school.
Besides Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick heads financial technology firm BGC Group and real estate services firm Newmark Group.
He graduated from Haverford College and has a degree in economics, according to his biography on Cantor’s website.
As co-chair of Trump’s transition team, Lutnick has been identifying new hires for the president-elect’s administration.
Additional reporting by Muiris O’Cearbhaill & Christina Finn
Flower of Scotland should be way up that list. It’s a belter
@James Beattie: Agreed. It’d be my number 1, followed by La Marseillaise.
Ireland’s Call ? pure undiluted Muck .
Ireland’s Call is an embarrassment. Shockingly bad songwriting from the normally great Mr Coulter.
@JusticeForJoe: agreed.. technically not a national anthem either
@Fi Harte: not even technically
@JusticeForJoe: Fully agree with you.
Flower of Scotland all day long for me.
Ireland’s Call is not our, or any nation’s, national anthem. If our national team is playing they should play their own national anthem.
@Boyne Sharky: because its.not just our (Republic) national team, its a team representing the whole island.
@Barry Sorensen: We have our 32 counties represent Ireland in other sports and they use our national anthem and national flag of Ireland.
@Daniel Roche: which sports?
@OnlyHereForTheComments: Shinty-Hurling International Series, international football series.
Ireland’s Call is the worst thing to happen to the country since the Black and Tans
Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau is class.
The irish one is awful.. It More like a hoot for school boys.
The Italian one is like from a great opera. Except that it needs trained classical voices to sing and not the fans dog howling..
The Welsh one is beautiful and a billion times better then the dreadful tone deaf irish one.
Flower of Scotland should be number 2.
Ireland s call is the best we got.better than Danny boy which would put the players to sleep or 4 green fields and certainly better than the rose of Tralee. Why not the old reliable fields of athenry. We all love that one
@Michael Murray: Nothing wrong with our national anthem.
Ireland’s call is a bit cringey why not Danny boy instead
@John Byrne: Maybe cause it was written by a English man that never set foot in Ireland or maybe it’s a crap song and our national anthem is way better and should only be use for Ireland games.
@Daniel Roche: Amhrán na bhFiann is a shocking song
@John Byrne: if you think Danny boy is a great song,I’m more than happy with our national anthem.
@John Byrne: but still our National Anthem. Point missed.
@Daniel Roche: was the man not from derry who wrote this song ?
@Lee Ridley: no.
@Lee Ridley: Nope. The guy who wrote Ireland’s call, Phil Coulter, is from Derry. Danny Boy’s original title was the Londonderry Air.
I’d have both Irish anthems in 5th & 6th
Sorry, while Flower of Scotland is a good rousing anthem, the fact that it says of the English “proud Edward’s army sent them homewards to think again”.
We’ll, a few years ago, they had a chance to send them homewards without having to left a finger in the independence referendum but chose not to. So the sentiments in “Flower of Scotland ” have rung somewhat hollow ever since!
I wonder if Cork had got a mention in Irelands Call would it be a more likeable in general.
I love it.
@Brian Farrell: No,I’m fairly sure they just don’t like it like the majority of this country.
Flower of Scotland is even worse than Ireland’s call. I’d rate the Welsh anthem after the French and Italian, and above the other three
When Flower of Scotland is played in Murrayfield against England, you would almost feel like jumping on the next plane and invading England yourself! Ireland’s call was made to win awards – not to be sung by burly Irish rugby players! They had a great chance to have a rousing going into battle anthem and instead it’s more like a lament!
What drugs are ye on and can I have some??
ireland’s call is an unremarkable turd, god save the queen an honourable second to the marseillaise
Eimear Considine’s point about the key change in Ireland’s call is valid. When you are not musically trained it can lead to horrendous results. La Marseillaise which has 2 key changes is regularly destroyed by well-meaning French supporters and athletes.
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