CNN host leaves stuttering Trump secretary squirming in explosive on-air clash

CNN aired an awkward live clash between presenter Jake Tapper and 's agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins, where Brooke was left squirming in her seat. Brooke appeared via video link from Fort Worth in Texas, while Jake hosted live from the CNN studios on the state of the union. In what was branded a "ridiculous" response, Brooke tried her best to answer a question about tariffs.

Jake began by saying: "President Trump laid out in a giant graph where what he called reciprocal tariffs were going to be imposed, and you're imposing a 10% tariff on the Heard and McDonald Islands. The Heard and McDonald Islands have zero human inhabitants, they have zero exports, they have zero imports. They do have a lot of penguins. Why are you putting import tariffs on islands that are entirely populated by penguins?"

A stuttering Rollins replied: "Well, I mean, that, come on, Jake. Obviously, erm, here's the bottom line... We live under a tariff regime from other countries-" but Jake cut her off to insist: "Not- the McDonald Islands is not imposing [tariffs]."

She instead refused to answer the question entirely, responding: "The idea that America goes first, I mean come on, whatever. Listen, the people who are leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic, the smartest people I've ever worked with. I did not come up with the formulas, I'm the Ags Secretary, I studied agriculture at Texas A&M [University].

"I was in a lot of conversations to make sure our farmers and our ranchers were part of that, the president recognised the importance of input, we got potash and fertiliser to make sure they could do their planting, but I have no doubt that I speak on behalf of President Trump when he would say he has the utmost confidence in the team and what they have built and what they have put together.

"We are unleashing a new golden age and we will see an economy that will benefit not just every corner of America but our farmers and our ranchers and the people that have been left behind for far too long by both Republicans and Democrats."

Viewers tuned into social media to share their opinions, with one writing: "Watch Jake Tapper completely embarrass Trump Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins moments ago on CNN. Her response is just ridiculous."

Someone else added: "Haha this is peak comedy, putting tariffs on penguin territory now? What's next, sanctions on Narnia? Brooke Rollins really tried to spin that with a straight face? You can't make this stuff up!"

But another argued: "If anyone keeps up with the news it is because every country gets a tariff so that China cannot use any other country to sneak their goods into the United States as they have done before. Tariffs across the board."

As someone else followed up: "Those islands could be used by the country that controls them to work around the tariffs. She obviously didn't know the reason why, but I don't think her response was 'ridiculous'. Sounded like a normal response to me."