A banana just took down Trump’s trade logic — thanks to Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.).
During a heated House Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was defending tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. He claimed the goal was to force companies to make more products in the U.S.
But Dean wasn’t buying it — especially when it came to everyday items Americans rely on. She zeroed in on one thing:
“Americans, by the way, loooove bananas. We buy billions of them a year,” Dean said. “I love bananas. What’s the tariff on bananas?”
Lutnick answered that tariffs would vary depending on the country but are usually around 10%.
Dean hit back with a fact: Walmart had already raised banana prices by 8%. Lutnick brushed it off, saying prices would go down eventually as new deals were made.
Dean wasn’t having it.
“But the cost is on the American consumer now, and on the businesses with the confusion now,” she said.
“Mr. Secretary, I believe you know better. I believe you recognize that a trade deficit is not something to fear. I believe you know that predictability, stability, is essential for businesses. I wish you would show that truth to this administration.”
Lutnick tried to stay on message:
“There’s no uncertainty that if you build in America and produce your product in America, there will be no tariff.”
That’s when Dean delivered the knockout line — and held up a banana.
“We cannot build bananas in America.”
The room went silent. Online, it exploded.
Yes, bananas can grow in places like Hawaii and Florida. But the U.S. doesn’t grow nearly enough to meet demand — Americans eat about 26 pounds of bananas per person each year.
Dean later posted on X: “Never thought I’d be giving economic lessons to the Commerce Secretary — but here we are.”
She added: “Not everything can be produced in the U.S.”
Social media jumped on the moment.
“When your tariff logic is so broken that someone has to explain you can’t manufacture fruit… it might be time to rethink the whole ‘economic strategy’ thing,” one user wrote.
He added: “You can’t out-patriot gravity, or biology. Lutnick is a Dipsh🇺🇸t.”
Another said: “America has neither a comparative nor an absolute advantage in banana growing. I think Lutnick really means that Americans should stop eating bananas.”
The clip of Dean’s “banana takedown” is now spreading fast — not just for the zinger, but for exposing a much bigger problem in the administration’s trade logic.
You can see the complete exchange below.
.@RepDean: What's the tariff on bananas? Americans love bananas.
Secretary @howardlutnick: Generally 10%.
Dean: Walmart has already increased the cost of bananas by 8%.
Lutnick: If you build in America…there will be no tariff.
Dean: We cannot build bananas in America. pic.twitter.com/E77exhcUGK
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 5, 2025
