White House recently threw its press secretary Karoline Leavitt a surprise birthday bash, and one present may have broken Donald Trump’s ‘buy-American’ push.
The POTUS has spent years, repeatedly urging Americans to shun foreign goods in favour of homegrown products. But when his press secretary blew out her candles this week, it was not just the part decor that caught everyone’s eye — one gift looked unmistakably French – a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Trump’s tariff tantrums have waged a global trade war, after the POTUS went on slapping tariffs on imports from longtime allies in a bid to tilt trade in favour of American companies. Louis Vuitton — as its name already suggests — isn’t on the ‘Buy American’ list.
Karoline Leavitt’s birthday present
On Thursday, Karoline Leavitt, who turns 28 this Sunday, walked into a room full of balloons and several gifts arranged on a chair. Among the several presents, one appeared to be a gift bag from French designer brand Louis Vuitton—easily recognisable by its saffron-colored paper and dark blue handles, mentioned a report by Daily Beast.
In a video shared on Instagram by Trump adviser Margo Martin, Leavitt walks into a room decked out with balloons and gifts, blushing as staffers serenade her with “Happy Birthday.” Laughing, she exclaims, “This is so embarrassing,” as the crowd cheers.
Impact of Trump’s tariffs on Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton, a luxury brand is owned by LVMH, a French luxury goods conglomerate based in Paris and chaired by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, who is also a long-time friend of Donald Trump.
As per reports, Louis Vuitton was not spared from Trump’s taxes on goods coming from the European Union. Following the US’s imposition of 15 percent baseline tariff rate, the French designer brand increased the price of one of its most popular handbags in the US, reported the Daily Beast.