Trump offers incoherent responses when asked how he'd address child care costs.

My daughter Ivanka made such an impactful contribution on this issue – it’s such a crucial one! But I believe when discussing these numbers — because child care is child care regardless of its cost — there must be something — it has an imperative function in our country and must exist. Compare that figure with what I’m proposing here by taxing foreign nations at levels they might find unfamiliar; I believe they will quickly adjust, without it deterring their business dealings with us. But they will pay an enormous tax when sending products into our country – more than enough to cover child care. As I told you earlier, our goal should be no deficits within a short period, along with reductions of waste and fraud in our nation. My daughter needs child care services and I hope I’m able to continue providing it myself. But those numbers pale in comparison with what I am discussing — economic numbers such as growth driven by my plan; we will take in trillions. Childcare may seem costly at first glance; but its costs pale in comparison with our projected revenues. Together we will build an exceptional nation capable of taking care of its people at an affordable cost. And then we will worry about the rest of the world; helping other people is always rewarding; however, first and foremost we must care for America; making America great again is paramount and is necessary because currently, America is suffering greatly due to our failure. Thus we’ll do everything within our power to do just that – thank you. Thank you very much for such an insightful query. Trump’s response went viral online after both video clip and transcript were made widely known, prompting widespread outrage from Kamala Harris’ campaign as well as policy experts of all ideologies who could only scratch their heads at his response. “Among this incoherent word salad was an absurd suggestion that tariffs can both balance the budget and pay for universal free child care across the United States – something clearly impossible according to Brian Riedl of Manhattan Institute who served as policy adviser for prominent Republicans,” noted Bloomberg News. Trump came off like the student who hadn’t studied, making up numbers instead. Harris responded by criticizing Trump’s tariffs while emphasizing her plans to expand child tax credit. “Millionaire-bought Donald Trump’s plan for making child care more affordable involves imposing a $3,900 tax increase on middle class families,” according to Harris campaign spokesperson Joseph Costello citing an estimate by liberal Center For American Progress about its potential effects. “Americans deserve a president who can deliver real cost reduction for them, like Vice President Harris’ plan of reinstating a $3,600 Child Tax Credit for working families and an expanded $6,000 tax cut for families with newborn children. “Harris’ proposal is less aggressive than what Biden White House has advocated for families with children, including capping middle class child care expenses at 7% of income as well as universal preschool. Harris didn’t respond when asked by Politico if she’d push for those provisions as president; White House spokesperson Andrew Bates mocked Trump’s response on MSNBC’s Morning Joe during an interview Friday morning. “If you know what this answer means, you are an amazing detective!” Bates responded before citing analyses by nonpartisan experts that showed Trump’s tariffs would limit economic growth. Reshma Saujani asked Trump the child care question at Economic Club of New York; her response at that event “kind of blew my mind. “He basically said child care wasn’t that expensive or that tariffs could solve the issue,” noted Saujani, who serves on the club board and says Trump invited her to pose her question directly. This shows just how out of touch his viewpoint truly is. “To me this demonstrates just how far removed from reality he really is. On a campaign trail, parents, moms, and families often discuss child care costs as an issue. Saujani, founder of Moms First and Girls Who Code groups, made her case to President Trump that child care costs total over $122 billion annually and described this issue as one of the “most pressing economic concerns facing our nation”. She asked him for specific legislation he’d advance to address the problem; Trump responded instead with reference to tariffs against foreign nations as an income stream into America. Now in Kamala Harris’ America, hardworking families are struggling to afford basic groceries such as diapers and formula for their infants and young children. President Trump promises that when he returns as President he will restore America to strength, security, and prosperity for struggling American families.”