Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly managed to get Donald Trump alone, away from the influence of advisor Peter Navarro, to persuade him to implement a 90-day pause on most tariffs, according to a new report.
The administration’s financial team has faced criticism during its first 100 days in office, with some questioning whether Lutnick should serve as the administration’s public spokesperson.
No figure has proven more divisive than Navarro, however — drawing sharp rebukes from ‘First Buddy’ Elon Musk, who has publicly referred to Navarro as ‘dumber than a sack of bricks’ and ‘truly a moron.’That paragraph reads like the setup to a political drama—backroom deals, internal rivalries, and a bit of billionaire-fueled trash talk to top it off. Here’s a tighter, slightly polished version if you’re looking to use it in a piece or just want it cleaned up a bit:
Trump helped stabilize the plummeting global stock markets by announcing a 90-day pause on tariffs — keeping tough levies on Chinese goods but scrapping the so-called ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs for several allied nations.
According to a new Wall Street Journal report, Bessent and Lutnick viewed Navarro as the main hurdle to halting the tariffs. DailyMail.com previously reported that Trump had consulted with both men before deciding on the pause.
On the morning of April 9, exactly a week after ‘Liberation Day,’ Bessent and Lutnick reportedly seized the opportunity while Navarro was tied up in a meeting. They made a beeline for the Oval Office for an unscheduled sit-down with Trump.
There, the two successfully persuaded Trump to temporarily freeze the tariffs and even stood by as he typed out the announcement himself on Truth Social. Navarro, caught off-guard by the move, was reportedly blindsided.
Immediately afterward, Karoline Leavitt and Bessent delivered the news to stunned reporters before Navarro had a chance to reach Trump. An anonymous source claimed the move was made to ensure “everyone was singing from the same song sheet.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (center) and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (right) managed to get Donald Trump (left) alone, away from rival advisor Peter Navarro, to persuade him to implement a 90-day pause on most tariffs.
The move helped calm market declines, as Trump announced a 90-day tariff freeze that maintained steep duties on China but delayed the harsh ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs planned for many U.S. allies.
As reporters entered the Oval Office, Navarro was making his way across the South Lawn for a scheduled TV appearance at one of the many cameras set up outside. Midway, he abruptly turned around and went back inside, opting not to go on air.
Later that afternoon, President Trump made a public statement of his own, blaming market volatility on traders ‘getting yippy’ despite his earlier warning that same morning to ‘stay cool.’
Those involved have largely rejected this version of events — Navarro in particular.
“More mischief from anonymous sources trying to divide and conquer the trade team,” Navarro told The Wall Street Journal.
A spokesperson for Bessent commented, “The president’s team is working tirelessly to advance the America First Trade Agenda for the American people. Anyone seeking to fracture that unity is working against the administration’s mission to uplift hardworking Americans.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Lutnick dismissed the report as “Gossip Girl games” and “simply false.”
White House spokesman Kush Desai added, “President Trump has assembled an all-star trade and economic team to deliver his America First agenda and finally confront the national emergency of chronic trade deficits.”
Bessent and Lutnick viewed senior advisor Peter Navarro (pictured) as the main obstacle standing in the way of halting the tariffs.
On the morning of April 9 — one week after what insiders dubbed ‘Liberation Day’ — Bessent (pictured left) and Lutnick (pictured right) reportedly waited until Navarro was tied up in a meeting before making a beeline for the Oval Office, aiming to catch President Trump alone for an unscheduled sit-down.
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That morning, Bessent and Lutnick allegedly seized the opportunity while Navarro was occupied, quickly heading to the Oval Office to speak with Trump in private.
‘Every member of the Trump administration is working from a single playbook — President Trump’s playbook — focused on leveling the playing field for American workers and industries and restoring American greatness.’
As previously reported by DailyMail.com, in the days following a plunging stock market, mounting criticism from top bankers, and looming recession warnings, President Trump met with Lutnick and Bessent in the Oval Office to map out a path forward.
The outcome: a 90-day pause on his proposed reciprocal tariffs.
Speaking to reporters later in the Oval Office, Trump described the meeting as happening ‘fairly early’ that morning but claimed his decision had been in the works for some time.
‘I’ve been thinking about it, I’ve been talking to Scott, to Howard, to the professionals. It probably all came together earlier this morning — fairly early this morning,’ he said.
Trump explained that his Truth Social post, which announced both a 125% tariff on China and the temporary 90-day pause, was entirely his own doing.
‘It came from the heart,’ Trump said, calling the decision ‘positive for the world.’
He reportedly composed the post from the Oval Office, with Lutnick and Bessent by his side.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (left) and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (right) hastily addressed the press to explain the sudden pause on tariffs.
For the past week — ever since Trump stood in the Rose Garden and declared it “Liberation Day” — his team had held firm on the tariffs, fully backing the president’s plan regardless of mounting economic or political concerns.
When asked on Tuesday whether the president might consider delaying the tariffs, Leavitt was unequivocal: “The President was asked about this yesterday and made his position clear. He’s not considering an extension or delay. I spoke with him before this briefing, and nothing has changed. He expects the tariffs to move forward as planned.”
The decision to pause — seen by many as a dramatic reversal — came as such a surprise that much of the White House staff found out after the fact.
In fact, the press team, responsible for speaking on the president’s behalf, only learned of it when a group of reporters burst in, seeking clarification on a Truth Social post from Trump hinting at a 90-day delay.
Their confusion was visible.
Fox Business reporter Edward Lawrence described the moment: “I walked into the lower press area, where several of the communications staff were gathered, and asked, ‘Is it true there’s a 90-day pause?’ They stared back at me, completely blank,” he said during a broadcast.
“I actually had to be the one to inform the press staff that the president had posted about considering a 90-day pause on tariffs.”
In the aftermath, the staff scrambled to piece together a coherent response.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (right) joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to finalize plans for a 90-day pause on tariffs.
Soon after, officials quickly arranged for Bessent to brief reporters outside on the South Drive of the White House.
“I know you’ve got a lot of questions. In the spirit of transparency, we’re here to discuss the president’s latest statement on his America First trade plan,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the gathered press as TV networks carried the event live.
Leavitt stood beside Bessent as he detailed Trump’s decision and took questions from reporters.
When DailyMail.com pressed him about the Oval Office meeting, Leavitt quietly reminded him, “It was the president’s decision.”
Bessent echoed that message. “This was entirely the president’s decision,” he said. “The three-month pause was his idea.”
Behind the scenes, Bessent had played a key role in influencing the president’s shift. He traveled to Mar-a-Lago over the weekend to meet personally with Trump.
On Sunday, as reporters flew back to Washington with Trump aboard Air Force One — including a DailyMail.com correspondent — Bessent was spotted standing behind the president as Trump fielded media questions in the press cabin.
The president appeared irritable when asked about the economic fallout of his tariffs, while Bessent watched from behind, frowning.
