TACO: Who is Megan Cassella, the reporter who questioned Trump about Taco trade?
Credit: X
A White House reporter on Wednesday put U.S. President Donald Trump on the spot during a press conference, seeking his reaction to the term 'Taco' and leaving him visibly irked. The term—short for 'Trump Always Chickens Out'—refers to the president's tendency to announce punishing tariffs on other countries, only to scale them back later.
'Mr. President, Wall Street analysts have coined a new term called the Taco trade. They're saying 'Trump Always Chickens Out' (Taco) on your tariff threats. And that's why markets are higher this week. What's your response to that?' CNBC correspondent Megan Cassella asked.
What is this about 'TACO trade'?
The idea behind the 'Taco trade' is simple: Trump's tough talk on tariffs sends markets tumbling, but his later retreats boost them back up—like a rollercoaster driven by presidential tweets.
Trump, however, didn't see the humor. Bristling at the question, he replied, 'I chicken out? Oh, I've never heard that. You mean because I reduced China from 145% that I set down to 100 and then to another number?' referring to the tariff rates he imposed on Chinese goods, which fell from 145% to 30% in recent weeks, CNN reported.
Trump's zig-zag on tariffs was on full display last week. On Thursday, he threatened to slap 50% tariffs on goods from the European Union starting June 1—an announcement that sent markets sliding.
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Later that same day, he doubled down, insisting there was no room to negotiate. But just two days later, he reversed course again, saying he'd delay the tariffs until July 9 after 'promising talks' with European leaders. By the time U.S.
markets reopened after Memorial Day, investors were breathing easier, and stocks closed well in the green, according to CNN.
The reporter's question struck a nerve, and Trump was visibly irked by the no-nonsense question, criticizing the way he has played so far with the term tariff. So is the reporter, who put the President of the USA on the spot?
Who is Megan Casella?
Megan Cassella is a journalist who has carved out a notable career covering the complex world of economics, trade policy, and government regulation.
She's known for her sharp, clear-eyed reporting from Washington, D.C., where she bridges the gap between financial markets and political decisions.
Currently, Cassella works as a correspondent for CNBC, focusing on how policy decisions reverberate through the economy and impact businesses and everyday people. Before joining CNBC, she served as the senior economics and policy reporter at Barron Magazine.
Earlier in her career, she spent more than five years at Politico, where she chronicled some of the biggest trade battles of the last decade.
From covering Trump's combative trade wars and the rocky path of the NAFTA renegotiation to tracking the historic transition from President Trump to President Biden, she's been at the heart of stories that have defined modern economic policy.
Education
Megan Cassella earned her Bachelor's Degree in Business Journalism and International Politics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in 2015. During her time there, she was actively involved with campus publications including The Daily Tar Heel and Synapse Magazine, and was recognized by the Kappa Tau Alpha Honor Society for academic excellence.
In 2018, Cassella was awarded a scholarship to attend the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists at the University of Pennsylvania.
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