US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins praised Donald Trump’s economic leadership as Dow Jones’ plummeting index was shown directly beside her in a Fox News appearance. 

During Thursday’s segment of Mornings with Maria, Rollins fiercely defended Trump-imposed tariffs, applauding his drastic efforts.

Rollins said: ‘While certainly the economy will be adjusting, the negotiations will continue. We are really, really excited, and very grateful for President Trump’s leadership.’

‘And being willing to be bold and fearless and facing some pretty big policy challenges around the world.’

But what made this portion of business journalist Maria Bartiromo’s show ‘ironic’, as one X user phrased it, was that Dow Jones index tanking by 1,200 points appeared on the screen as Rollins went on her optimistic spiel.

Wall Street had its worst day since the height of the Covid crash after President Donald Trump’s tariffs sparked fears of a US and global recession on Wednesday.

On ‘Liberation Day’, Trump declared that foreign trade and economic practices have sparked a national emergency. 

All nations will be faced with at least 10 percent tariffs on all US imports starting on Saturday.

But more than 90 countries will be hit with additional reciprocal tariffs in order to make the US ‘wealthy again’ by April 9. 

Reciprocal tariffs, according to the White House, are the rates ‘necessary to balance bilateral trade deficits between the US and each of our trading partners.’ 

Some countries, including Japan, South Korea, China and Great Britain, face individualized tariffs, calculated by the White House while factoring in those nation’s policies. 

‘My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day, we’ve been waiting for a long time,’ Trump proclaimed on Wednesday.

‘In a few moments, I will sign a historic executive order instituting reciprocal tariffs on countries throughout the world.’

As Trump spoke the stock market tanked – with Dow futures dropping more than 250 points, the S&P 500 falling 100 points and Nasdaq futures decreasing by more than 400 points.

Trump has since spoken out amid rising concerns, seemingly unfazed by the stock-market chaos.

‘I think it is going very well,’ Trump coolly declared as he boarded Air Force One to go golfing in Miami on Thursday. Dow Jones was down 1,400 points at the time. 

‘It was an operation. [It is] like when a patient gets operated on and it’s a big thing. I said this would exactly be the way it is,’ he continued, adding that ‘six or seven trillion’ dollars would be coming to the US.

‘The markets are going to boom… the country is going to boom and the rest of the world wants to see if there’s any way they can make a deal.’

The unfortunate clip from Bartiromo’s show sparked strong online reactions, with social media users expressing their fears for the future. 

‘How ironic!’ someone wrote on X. ‘LOL tone deaf,’ another agreed. 

One man questioned: ‘How can anyone smile and be thankful for this?’

‘Brooke Rollins cheers Trump while the Dow tanks 1,200 points. Tariffs are crushing farmers, and she’s clueless, ignoring the real pain in agriculture. What a disaster,’ someone asserted. 

During the episode, Bartiromo asked Rollins how these tariffs would impact American farmers. 

‘Well, we’ll see,’ she replied. ‘Now we’re negotiating, now we move into some significant negotiations.’

She then referenced a graph that displayed tariffs imposed by various nations, explaining that America has been getting taxed more intensely than the US has been taxing other nations.  

‘The president’s vision is a golden age of prosperity that these farmers and ranchers will see prosperity like they’ve never seen before,’ she said.   

The tariffs are set to impact not only countries, but companies. Nike makes about 25 percent of its shoes in Vietnam, which is getting hit with a 46 percent reciprocal tariff.

Adidas also manufactures in Vietnam – the country responsible for making a third of US footwear. 

Critics have warned against these historic taxation plans, with business experts explaining how American’s wallets will hurt as well.

David French, the executive vice president of government relations at the National Retail Federation, a US trade body, said: ‘More tariffs equal more anxiety and uncertainty for American businesses and consumers. 

‘While leaders in Washington may not care about higher prices, hardworking American families do.’