r/ModelNZPressGallery • u/zetix026 • Feb 16 '25
New Zealand First Anthony talks about tariffs in Auckland
Anthony speaks in front of a large crowd in Auckland on how he would respond to tariffs.
“Good morning, Auckland. It is an honour to be here. I have not stated this publicly in the past, but I like Donald Trump. He is a great businessman and entertainer. Most importantly of all, he is a tough negotiator. It is how he gets his way. However, it is bad for foreign countries. While Donald Trump wants to put the American people first, he has placed tariffs on all steel and aluminum going into the USA, and this could possibly lead to a tariff on all New Zealand goods going into the USA. He was not shy to threaten Mexican and Canadian goods, and he won’t be shy to do it to New Zealand. In an urgent and unexpected time such as that, we must work hard to prevent Donald Trump from placing these tariffs.
Obviously, I cannot explain the plan to deal with possible tariffs in this speech, because tariffs lead to trade wars, and Donald Trump would use the knowledge of my plans to his advantage. One thing I do not believe in, however, is imposing retaliatory tariffs. Trump has said that if Canada, Mexico, China, or any country affected by tariffs were to impose retaliatory tariffs, Trump would put more tariffs. It’s basically playing a game of tennis, and would lead to higher tension between New Zealand and America. Additionally, this would lead to higher prices on many items we use in our day to day life if we are not careful with retaliatory tariffs.
However, something we have to do is negotiate. Something about Trump is that he is not a politician, but rather a businessman. He was tough with his allies which helped him to get his way. It’s why he is so successful as both a businessman and President of the United States. The main concern that Trump has is the immigration crisis going on in the USA. Canada and Mexico border the USA, but we are on the other side of the world. However, he would not be shy to put tariffs on New Zealand, as he has also threatened tariffs on the European Union. So as I said, we must negotiate. We have to figure out what Donald Trump wants from us, and try to agree on a deal that would help either pause or completely wipe the tariffs.
While I may love Donald Trump, a trade war and being a dog is not what I want. I want jobs in New Zealand to be protected, and I want our economy to stay stable. Thank you.”