Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Commerce Secretary, assured senators in his confirmation hearing that he would not dismantle NOAA and pledged support for American fishers. He defended the use of tariffs, arguing they would ensure fair treatment for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and fishers, and framed proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico as a means to pressure them into stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. Lutnick rejected privatizing NOAA, distancing himself from policy proposals linked to Trump’s 2024 campaign. He also committed to supporting the U.S. fishing industry, backing a ban on Russian seafood and opposing Chinese imports, humorously referring to them as “communist fish.”
