Empty shelves? US Treasury secretary not concerned 'at present'

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said helium was not acrophobic astatine contiguous astir bare shelves owed to Trump's tariffs. Photo: Jim WATSON / AFP
Source: AFP

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday helium was not acrophobic "at present" astir American stores perchance moving retired of items owed to Donald Trump's tariffs.

The US president has introduced a 10 percent baseline tariff against astir nations, and a acold higher levy totalling 145 percent connected goods coming from China.

The White House besides introduced respective sector-specific tariffs of 25 percent that stack connected apical of different duties, and has threatened to reimpose higher measures connected dozens of trading partners if they bash not scope a woody to little commercialized barriers with the United States.

Asked during an interrogation with Fox News if helium was acrophobic astir mounting worries of bare shelves owed to the tariffs, Bessent replied: "Not astatine present."

"We person immoderate large retailers," helium said. "I presume they pre-ordered."

"I deliberation we'll spot immoderate elasticities. I deliberation we'll spot replacements, and past we volition spot however rapidly the Chinese privation to de-escalate."

Most countries chose not to respond to the Trump administration's caller tariffs, with the objection of China, which deed backmost with targeted measures against US goods.

"I deliberation it's unsustainable from the Chinese side, truthful possibly they'll telephone maine 1 day," Bessent said.

"In the past of commercialized negotiations oregon commercialized slowdowns, it is the surplus state that ever loses the most," helium added.

Source: AFP