A Fox Business correspondent publicly disagreed with the network’s portrayal of President Donald Trump’s decision to delay a controversial tariff policy for 90 days, suggesting it was less about strategic planning and more about responding to financial market pressures.
On April 9, 2025, during several appearances on air, Charles Gasparino countered remarks from Fox News anchors John Roberts and Sandra Smith, who claimed Trump’s move was consistent with his “art of the deal” strategy. The network suggested this pause was a calculated measure to encourage international negotiations following weeks of economic concerns linked to the administration’s aggressive tariff policies.
“Let’s be clear about what happened, who capitulated here and why,” Gasparino stated. “I don’t want to say this because I am a patriot, I am an American, but it is the White House that capitulated, based on everything I hear and all my sources.”
The 90-day delay was announced on April 9 as part of a revised approach to U.S. trade policy. This new strategy postponed tariffs initially intended for a wide array of imports. Although significant tariff increases on Chinese goods, now at 145%, remain, other nations will continue to face a 10% reciprocal tariff without the proposed immediate expansion.
Fox News initially presented the pause as a negotiation strategy, citing reports that up to 75 countries expressed willingness to engage with the U.S. on trade. However, Gasparino questioned the validity of these claims, noting that no formal agreements had been reached with these nations.
“If you read between the lines, and not even with what [Treasury Secretary] Scott Bessent said, we have no deals, right?” Gasparino said. “There’s nobody that is really there saying this is what we’re going to do. And they paused it anyway.”
Gasparino also highlighted the financial pressures influencing the administration’s decision, particularly the large-scale overnight bond market sell-offs. He cited sources indicating that these sell-offs by key U.S. allies, including Japan, signaled waning confidence in the administration’s ability to stabilize the economy under the current trade policy.
“If you have a mass sale of bonds, that means people are losing confidence in the U.S. economy, on the ability to do deals with us,” he said. “It’s the bond market and the sort of lending markets that’s the plumbing of the economy, and those markets were imploding last night.”
This suspension of tariffs led to a market rally on Wednesday, as stock indices rebounded from earlier losses. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Treasury Secretary Bessent supported the revised approach, explaining it as a temporary adjustment.
Gasparino, while critical of the administration’s narrative, commended Bessent’s role in influencing the decision, describing him as more skilled in deal-making than other top officials, such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and trade adviser Peter Navarro. According to Gasparino, Bessent has now taken a leading role in the White House, signaling a shift toward prioritizing deal-making over imposing tariffs.
The administration has not ruled out reinstating the full range of tariffs after the 90 days, contingent upon ongoing discussions. Officials continue to frame the strategy as part of a broader realignment of U.S. trade priorities aimed at protecting American manufacturing and agriculture.
Despite the administration’s statements, Gasparino’s comments brought attention to internal divisions and the influence of economic indicators on trade policy decisions. His on-air dissent marked a rare moment of disagreement within the network’s coverage of the president’s policies, highlighting the complex interplay between political messaging and market realities.
The tariff pause occurs amid broader concerns about the global economy, ongoing inflation, and uncertain international relations, all of which have renewed focus on the potential risks of broad trade restrictions.
