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The Speaker’s Lobby: ‘Whose throat do I get to choke?’
It was a split screen Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill.
One eye on the markets. The other eye on the Senate testimony of U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
«Do you think your remarks will alter the markets in any way?» yours truly asked Greer as he walked to the hearing room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
«I’m just going to respond to the senators. Be candid as I can be,» replied Greer.
TRUMP TRADE REP TAKES BIPARTISAN FIRE OVER TARIFFS AS DEM LAUNCHES BID TO HALT THEM
The public has heard a lot about tariffs from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
They’ve heard a lot about tariffs from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
They’ve heard even more about tariffs from White House advisor Peter Navarro.
But until Tuesday morning, there was little said about tariffs from the man in charge of the administration’s trade policy: Jamieson Greer.
All eyes were on two things Tuesday morning — the stock market and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. (AP/Getty Images)
«The president’s strategy is already bearing fruit,» Greer testified. «Nearly 50 countries have approached me personally to discuss the president’s new policy and explore how to achieve reciprocity.»
Democrats were dubious about Greer’s suggestion. Yes, nations may be willing to negotiate. But carving out sophisticated trade agreements with nations just sanctioned by the U.S. takes time.
«You’re telling us you have nearly 50 countries coming to you, approaching you to enter into negotiation, and you think that you can do that overnight?» asked Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. «You’re pretty superhuman here, if that’s the case.»
TRUMP TRADE CHIEF FACES HOUSE GRILLING ON TARIFFS
Greer tangled with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.
«Even if inflation hits Americans’ pocketbooks at 10% because of these tariffs, then the Trump administration is still going to go charging ahead?» asked Hassan.
«Senator, your hypotheticals are not consistent with the history we have seen with tariffs,» Greer replied.
Greer got the third degree from members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
«My hypotheticals are based on the fact that a lot of Americans are looking at their 401(k)’s today and wondering how much of a lifestyle change they are going to have to have or whether they’re going to be able to retire when they plan to,» Hassan shot back. «This has been a haphazard, incompetent effort. And it’s showing.»
After rough showings, the markets actually shot up at the opening bell Tuesday before Greer spoke. It didn’t appear that anything Greer told senators resonated positively or negatively on Wall Street. But lawmakers were well attuned to the market fluctuations.
Especially as they started to hear from constituents.
TRUMP SAYS HE’LL ‘TAKE A LOOK’ AT EXEMPTING SOME LARGER US COMPANIES HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY TARIFFS
Outside the hearing room, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., offered one of his signature Bayou homilies to characterize the unfolding trade war.
«God created the world. But everything else is made in China,» said Kennedy.
«But senator, isn’t the bigger issue here the question of the uncertainty in the markets and rattling around?» I asked Kennedy.
«Well, there’s always uncertainty,» answered Kennedy.
«But this is a different type of uncertainty, though, Senator,» I countered.
«Is it going to have to have an impact on your capital markets? Well, yes. Duh. And it’s not fun. It’s very, very painful. Whether this will have a happy ending or a sad ending depends in large part what President Trump does next,» said Kennedy.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., acknowledged the fate of the market lies largely in the hands of President Trump and whatever his administration does next. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
And that’s the key to the entire enterprise. It doesn’t matter what Lutnick does. Or Bessent. Or Navarro. And not Greer. For better or worse, this is President Trump’s baby. Only he can move markets. And potentially trade deals. And that’s certainly what unfolded in recent days.
Democrats — and some Republicans — excoriated the president for unilaterally imposing the tariffs. Lawmakers asked the reasoning for imposing the tariffs. And they argued that the tariffs should have been an issue which came to Capitol Hill.
«Where was the consultation with Congress about this? Where is the homework? You know, Greek and Roman letters thrown on a plaque doesn’t mean a strategy that you’ve informed Congress on,» Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, asked. «And part of the question is, where’s the homework done by the administration to not misconstrue the authority that was given?»
SCHUMER SAYS TRUMP ‘FEELING THE HEAT’ AFTER RECIPROCAL TARIFF PAUSE
Cantwell may not have received a sufficient answer from the Trump administration on the rationale. But Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., answered the other part of the question about why the President cut Congress out of the loop.
«Let’s not pretend that this is anything other than the president exercising the statutory authority Congress has given him for decades,» said Hawley. «Because Congress didn’t want to do tariffs, they didn’t want to do trade, it was too hot. They wanted the president to hold the hot potato. So now you’ve got a President who’s happy to do that.»
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution declares that Congress has the «Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.»
«Let’s not pretend that this is anything other than the president exercising the statutory authority Congress has given him for decades,» Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said of Trump’s imposition of tariffs. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative says the U.S. is a signatory to more than 14 total trade pacts. Congress has ratified several of those in recent years. That includes the USMCA. That’s a trade pact President Trump pushed – alongside former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in 2020 for the U.S., Mexico and Canada. That deal replaced NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, approved by Congress in 1993. Congress also greenlighted «CAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement, in 2005.
So, Congress has engaged in trade somewhat in recent decades. But maybe not as much as it should have.
Greer appeared for a second time on Capitol Hill Wednesday, testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee.
TRUMP PUSHES BACK ON ‘REBEL’ REPUBLICANS OVER TARIFFS: ‘YOU DON’T NEGOTIATE LIKE I NEGOTIATE’
«Any deal that you do, are you going to bring that to Congress for a vote?» asked Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash.,
«We’ll do what the law requires. Some of it’s consultation. Some requires a vote. So we’ll follow the law,» replied Greer.
But DelBene pressed Greer on the president using emergency powers on the tariffs. She quoted from the statute.
Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., pressed Greer on the Trump administration’s leveraging of executive powers. (Reuters)
«It states, ‘The President, in every possible instance, shall consult with Congress before exercising any powers,’» said DelBene. «That didn’t happen.»
Greer said he called Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., and the top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.
«I argue that we did not have that consultation,» said DelBene, who sits on the trade subcommittee.
WHITE HOUSE WARNS AGAINST TARIFF RETALIATION, SAYS TRUMP ‘HAS SPINE OF STEEL AND HE WILL NOT BREAK’
But less than two hours later — with Greer still testifying — President Trump announced he was now pausing most tariffs for three months. But still imposing steep tariffs on China.
Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., was apoplectic.
«He announced it on a tweet?» an incredulous Horsford asked of Greer. «WTF? Who’s in charge?»
Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., appeared beyond furious with the rollout of Trump’s tariff plan. (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation)
«The president of United States is in charge,» Greer said.
«And what do you know about those details?» countered Horsford. «It looks like your boss just pulled the rug out from under you.»
Horsford later asked if what the President executed was «market manipulation.» Greer said it wasn’t.
HOUSE DEMOCRAT SAYS HE’D VOTE TO PROTECT TRUMP’S TARIFF PLAN, WORRIES WHITE HOUSE WILL STAND DOWN
So, when the hearing adjourned, yours truly and Nikole Killion of CBS pursued Greer to get more clarity on the president’s new strategy.
«Can you explain why you were caught flat-footed about the change in the trade policy? Were you aware of any of this?» I asked Greer before he stepped into an anteroom.
We resumed the quest in the hall.
«Were you not told about this?» I asked.
«Did you know before your testimony?» added Killion.
«I’ll just refer you to my testimony,» said Greer.
«Your testimony did not reflect what it was implemented during the hearing,» I followed up.
«I’ll just refer you to my testimony,» Greer repeated.
«But that’s inconsistent with the decision of the president,» I said.
I tried to get a few answers out of Greer after one of his hearings. He remained fairly mum on most of what he was asked. (FOX)
An aide to Greer then intervened.
«I think the ambassador was extremely clear in his testimony about what was going on, and the president could make the choice,» the aide interjected.
«Explain why you don’t think that this was market manipulation. You said it wasn’t,» I followed up.
HOUSE CONSERVATIVES READY TO OPPOSE SENATE GOP FRAMEWORK FOR TRUMP TAX CUT PACKAGE
«Were you aware that there would be a pause before you came here to Capitol Hill? Yes or no? Yes or No, sir?» Killion continued.
Greer then disappeared down a winding staircase in the Longworth House Office Building.
Let’s shift back to the Senate hearing on Tuesday with Greer.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who faces a potential uphill battle for re-election next year, was more blunt in his questioning of Greer, asking, «Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?» (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., could face a competitive re-election bid next year. He asked a pointed question to Greer.
«Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?» Tillis asked.
«Well, Senator, you can certainly always talk to me,» replied Greer.
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«So, if you own this decision, I’ll look to you to figure out if we’re going to be successful,» said Tillis. «If you don’t own the decision, I’m just trying to figure out who’s throat I get to choke if it’s wrong.»
Congress,Trade,Trump’s First 100 Days,Economy,Senate,House Of Representatives
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Guerra en Irán: Macron viaja a Chipre y asume el liderazgo militar de Europa con el envío de ocho fragatas más al Mediterráneo
Ocho fragatas
La guerra se siente en Europa
El ataque a Chipre
Las ambiciones de Francia
El protagonismo de Macron
Se amplía la guerra
Flotilla europea a Chipre
Falta de perspicacia estratégica
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Panamá cerró 2025 con más de 271 mil funcionarios y una planilla que supera $5,200 millones
Panamá cerró diciembre de 2025 con 271,346 funcionarios públicos, lo que representó un aumento de 4,869 empleados frente a diciembre de 2024 y un alza de 348 funcionarios respecto a noviembre de 2025, según el más reciente informe de la Contraloría General de la República.
En paralelo, el sueldo bruto mensual de la planilla estatal llegó a $458.4 millones, con un incremento de $10.5 millones en un solo mes. El dato retrata con crudeza el tamaño que ha alcanzado el aparato público: más personal, más gasto permanente y menos margen para maniobrar cuando la caja aprieta.
Pero el dato que realmente pesa no es solo el cierre de diciembre, sino el costo total del año. La planilla pública acumuló en 2025 un gasto de $5,245.2 millones, por encima de los $5,177.0 millones de 2024.
Dicho de otra forma: solo en salarios públicos, Panamá desembolsó en un año $2,280.2 millones más que lo que aportó el Canal de Panamá al Tesoro Nacional en el año fiscal 2025, que fue de $2,965 millones.
Incluso supera en $2,051.4 millones la transferencia histórica que el Canal proyecta para la vigencia fiscal 2026, estimada en $3,193.8 millones, y rebasa en $764.2 millones el costo total estimado de la Línea 3 del Metro, calculado en más de $4,481 millones.
El crecimiento tampoco empezó ayer. Los informes anuales de la Contraloría muestran que el gasto acumulado en planilla pasó de $4,441.1 millones en 2020 a $4,738.8 millones en 2021, $4,880.3 millones en 2022, $5,014.8 millones en 2023, $5,177.0 millones en 2024 y $5,245.2 millones en 2025.
En conjunto, entre 2020 y 2025, el Estado panameño desembolsó alrededor de $29,497.1 millones en salarios públicos. Ese monto equivale a casi 10 veces el aporte canalero de 2025 y a más de 6.5 veces el costo estimado de la Línea 3.
Buena parte de ese ensanchamiento ocurrió en el quinquenio anterior. De acuerdo con la información que ya había divulgado la Contraloría y que el propio comportamiento mensual confirma en sus series, entre julio de 2019 y junio de 2024 el empleo público aumentó en 24,082 personas, al pasar de 238,248 a 262,330 funcionarios.
El resultado fue una estructura estatal más pesada, con mayor gasto recurrente, más compromisos salariales y menos flexibilidad presupuestaria. En 2025 esa inercia no desapareció: cambió de velocidad, pero no de dirección.
Las entidades que más sumaron personal en 2025 ayudan a entender hacia dónde se movió la expansión. El Ministerio de Educación cerró 2025 con 68,405 funcionarios y añadió 1,017 plazas frente a diciembre de 2024. La Asamblea Nacional terminó con 5,718 empleados y sumó 935.
El Ministerio de Seguridad Pública cerró con 33,473 funcionarios y agregó 660. El Ministerio de Obras Públicas llegó a 2,330 empleados, con un aumento de 523. El Órgano Judicial alcanzó 7,318 funcionarios y sumó 513.
En el bloque descentralizado también hubo movimientos relevantes. La Caja de Seguro Social cerró 2025 con 35,325 funcionarios y registró un incremento combinado de al menos 620 plazas entre personal permanente y eventual. Transporte Masivo de Pasajeros, S. A. terminó con 4,103 empleados y aumentó 279 funcionarios permanentes.
Ese peso del gasto de funcionamiento ha sido una de las alertas repetidas por organismos y calificadoras. Moody’s ha advertido sobre la rigidez de ciertas leyes y la dificultad del Estado panameño para recortar gasto público, mientras Fitch y el Fondo Monetario Internacional han insistido en que la consolidación fiscal sigue limitada por la presión del gasto corriente y la trayectoria de la deuda.
El ministro de Economía y Finanzas, Felipe Chapman, y el presidente José Raúl Mulino han reconocido que reducir el gasto en salarios es particularmente complejo, en parte por la existencia de leyes especiales que establecen incrementos obligatorios para educadores, estamentos de seguridad, médicos y otros profesionales del sector público.
Esa rigidez, han señalado, dificulta ajustes rápidos del gasto corriente y obliga a que cualquier estrategia de contención se apoye en reformas de mayor alcance, mejoras de eficiencia y revisiones de estructuras salariales y de contratación.
manos,dólares,pago,impuestos,transacción,billetes,recibo,economía,finanzas,dinero
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EXCLUSIVE: Trump rejects shielding Biden records from Senate probes in executive privilege showdown
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EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump rejected former President Joe Biden’s assertion of executive privilege over a tranche of documents requested by the Senate as part of various probes into the 46th president, determining it is «not in the best interests of the United States.»
White House counsel David Warrington wrote Monday in a letter addressed to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and obtained by Fox News Digital that Trump «does not uphold the former President’s assertion of privilege» over records sought in four congressional probes. The letter directs NARA to provide the materials to Congress.
The dispute centers on documents related to investigations into Biden’s health, alleged politically motivated probes into Trump and his allies, and the Biden family’s financial dealings, which Republicans argue go to the heart of Congress’ constitutional authority to conduct oversight.
The letter came as a response to communication from NARA on Dec. 10 informing the White House that the former president had asserted executive privilege over the requested materials.
President Joe Biden speaks during an event in Washington, D.C., on May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Warrington said the assertion «is not justified» as to documents identified in two letters Biden sent to NARA on Oct. 22 and Dec. 3.
The first category of documents involved a request from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for records related to what the letter described as the «coverup of former President Biden’s health and cognitive decline.»
«The abuse of the autopen that took place during the Biden Presidency, and the extraordinary efforts to shield President Biden’s diminished faculties from the public, must be subject to a full accounting to ensure nothing similar ever happens again,» Warrington wrote, quoting a prior letter.
TRUMP TO VOID ALL DOCUMENTS ALLEGEDLY SIGNED BY BIDEN VIA AUTOPEN, THREATENS PERJURY CHARGE
Biden also asserted privilege over two Senate Judiciary Committee requests concerning «coordinated efforts by the Biden administration against President Trump and his staff through politically motivated investigations.»
The White House argued that «the constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield from Congress evidence of a President’s efforts to imprison his opponent.»
A third set of documents related to the «Biden family’s financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest,» the letter noted, referencing Biden’s use of private email accounts and his work on Ukraine as vice president while his son Hunter Biden held a lucrative position on the board of an energy company there.
CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR USES BIDEN AUTOPEN TO FLIP DEMS’ ‘DEMOCRACY’ SCRIPT AGAINST THEM: ‘SCANDAL’
Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Warrington acknowledged that the Supreme Court has recognized executive privilege as protecting presidential decision-making and deliberations but said he was «unaware of a Supreme Court ruling or constitutional text that extends those protections to former President Biden’s efforts to assist his son’s shady business deals,» underscoring a fight about how expansive the scope of executive privilege is in the face of Congress’ oversight demands.
«President Trump instructs you to provide to these congressional committees the pages identified as privileged by the former President,» Warrington wrote.
Warrington previously denied Biden’s privilege request over documents related to the Biden administration’s use of the autopen, Fox News Digital exclusively reported in December. Biden has denied accusations that official presidential documents were signed by the autopen without his knowledge, brushing them off as «ridiculous.»
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with President Joe Biden at Trump’s inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
«Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,» Biden said in a statement in June as Trump and Republicans sounded off about what they alleged was a scandal. «Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.»
Concerns over Biden’s mental acuity had simmered for years before reaching a boiling point in June 2024.
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Republicans sounded the alarm that it appeared Biden’s mental edge was slipping before even the 2020 election cycle. The media and Biden’s longtime Democratic allies joined conservatives in their alarm following Biden’s failed debate against Trump in early summer of 2024.
Biden dropped out of the race, but investigations and concerns over an alleged Biden administration coverup continue into the second Trump administration.
Fox News Digital reached out to a Biden representative and NARA for comment on Monday morning.
white house,joe biden,donald trump,congress
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