Latest news with #Bayou
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Duck Dynasty: The Revival:' How to watch, premiere date, cast list and more
It's been nearly a decade since we've gotten to watch the Robertson family run their empire, but the Bayou bosses are back now for a new revival of their hit series, aptly named Duck Dynasty: The Revival. The new series will focus more closely on the Robertson family's relationships, not just their business ventures. Duck Dynasty alum and family patriarch Phil Robertson recently passed away at the age of 79, just one week prior to the revival's premiere. Phil had been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer's and will not appear posthumously in the new series. Duck Dynasty: The Revival will feature Willie Robertson, Korie Robertson, Kay Robertson, Uncle Si, Jase Robertson, Sadie Robertson and more familiar faces. The new Duck Dynasty reboot premieres this Sunday, June 1 at 9 p.m. ET. A second season of the series has already been ordered at A&E. Here's what else you need to know. The new Duck Dynasty reboot premieres Sunday, June 1, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Much like its predecessor, Duck Dynasty: The Revival will air on A&E. If you don't currently have A&E through a cable package, we recommend tuning in via a live TV streaming service such as Philo, DirecTV or FUBO. The new spinoff series will follow the Robertson family as they map out the future of Duck Commander and work to pass down the family legacy, all while watching the kids navigate marriage, children and businesses of their own. While Phil Robertson won't make any posthumous appearances on the upcoming season, his wife and many more family members will be featured. Willie Robertson Korie Robertson Kay Robertson Uncle Si Jase Robertson Sadie Robertson John Robertson Will Robertson Bella Robertson Rebecca Robertson Looking to catch up on old seasons of Duck Dynasty? Luckily, they're available to stream free with ads directly through A&E, free with ads on Pluto TV or free for Prime subscribers on Prime Video. Watch free on Pluto TV Watch on Prime Video
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Cajun and Zydeco music, the sounds of southwest Louisiana, are experiencing a remarkable revival
The idea that this country has become one big, bland, conformist culture, the United States of generica? Well, if you're in search of a counterpoint, hang out, as we did, in the marshy interior of southern Louisiana. You need no passport to enter Cajun country, but it's an exotic land like nowhere else, home to a cuisine, a language, a landscape, even a pacing all its own. And then, there's the singular sound. Cajun music — and its cousin from across the way, Zydeco, resists easy description. But it is intoxicatingly catchy, often sung in French, and enjoying a most unlikely renaissance. The sun is out and living is easy on the bayous of Louisiana. The fish are jumping — those are carp — and the cypress trees grow high. On dry land, the music hangs in the humidity. In Eunice, Louisiana, the Savoy family has lived on this patch of land for eight generations. Music is often a family inheritance down here, and you can think of the Savoys as the Von Trapp clan of Cajun country — Acadiana, as it's known. Joel is a Grammy-winning producer and musician, often accompanied by his brother, Wilson—also a Grammy winner. Their father Marc, an accordion-maker by day, is a prominent musician in his own right, as is their mother, Ann, who once recorded with Linda Ronstadt. Jon Wertheim: What defines the Cajun sound? Wilson Savoy: Typically Cajun music has a Cajun accordion, fiddle, sung in Cajun French. They play two-step and waltzes. It's got a very unique rhythm, very syncopated rhythm that you don't hear in a lot of other kinds of music. It's the syncopation that drives the music. Ann Savoy: And it has a hauntingness about it, the music. And, it's just got soul, you know. These sounds are sourced from the unique blend of people that converged on Cajun country over the centuries. The Savoy family 60 Minutes Joel Savoy: The music is obviously born out of this swirl of different cultures. The accordion arrived with some part of the population. Fiddle arrived with different part of the population. The syncopation comes from people that we encountered here, the African Americans, the Creoles, the Spanish, things like that. Joel Savoy: It's also a social music. You know, anytime there's music, there's somebody hanging out, somebody cooking. These things just are part of life. It's always inclusive. Maybe you'll dance a few times. Who knows? As we saw, when the sun sets in Acadiana, the volume turns way up. This music is the soundtrack in dive bars, in night clubs, and the old French salles de danse — dance halls — that stud this landscape. And while it's not topping Billboard charts, the music is experiencing a resurgence as young audiences two-step once again, to those accordions, fiddles and wash-boards. Chubby Carrier: You say Louisiana, the first thing to come outta their mouth is, "How is New Orleans?" I'm like, "I don't know. I don't live in New Orleans." I live in southwest Louisiana. Jon Wertheim: Totally different sound. Chubby Carrier: A totally different sound. Chubby Carrier is a Grammy-winning accordionist from Church Point, Louisiana. He tours with his group, The Bayou Swamp Band. Chubby's Zydeco is a relative of Cajun music, born out of the French-speaking Black Creole community. Chubby Carrier: One time this couple came and goes, "Honey, you gotta come see this. That's a Black gentleman with an accordion in his hand. I wonder if he plays polka, honey." Jon Wertheim: Polka, oh. You had a surprise for 'em. Chubby Carrier: Oh, my goodness, and I seen that, and they came back. And when I seen 'em sittin' there, I said, "Watch this." Chubby Carrier 60 Minutes Chubby Carrier: I started playin' my songs, and she started lookin' over to her husband going, "Wow, this is great." She starts doin' this. (taps) Jon Wertheim: She thought she was comin' for Lawrence Welk, and she got you-- Chubby Carrier: Somethin' like that. Jourdan Thibodeaux is the frontman of the touring band Les Rôdailleurs. Jourdan Thibodeaux: It's just the sounds of our community And I think they're just-- buries into your heart when you-- when you're little. Jon Wertheim: And it's not some hipster ironic thing. Jourdan Thibodeaux: No. Most of the people that be at these kind of dances are as far removed from a hipster as you could possibly imagine. Jourdan is Cajun music's equivalent of a rock star. And through his music, he's become something of a global ambassador for Cajun country and its way of life. Jon Wertheim: You have a saying, you say a lot that's in some of your song lyrics. You wanna tell us what it is? Jourdan Thibodeaux: Tu vis ta culture ou tu tues ta culture, il y a pas de milieu. Means, "You either live your culture or you kill your culture. There's no in between." Jon Wertheim: What do you mean? Jourdan Thibodeaux: You see this-- this vanishing of cultures, of dialects, of-- of everything to just create this one generic human, you know. And it's really sad to me. So I'm gonna get up every day and I'm gonna live my culture today. I think it's every individual's responsibility to maintain who they are as a people. Time was, Louisiana French could be heard on every street corner, both in Cajun and Creole communities. Jourdan learned French from his grandmother. But today, the language is dwindling as the march of Americanization proceeds. Jourdan Thibodeaux: Imagine still being home and saying, "Oh, I miss home." It's-- it's a very hard feeling to convey. Jon Wertheim: I wonder if-- if the language is diminishing, the Cajun music becomes that much more important as this transmitter of culture-- Jourdan Thibodeaux: Oh, without a doubt. Without a doubt. there are countless kids who are learning the language just from the music. Jourdan Thibodeaux 60 Minutes The Cajun story starts in Nova Scotia, where this French-speaking people led a peaceful life, until they didn't. In the middle of the 1700s, the conquering British kicked out the Acadians — shortened to Cajuns. Expelled, they found an improbable home amid the backwaters of French Louisiana. From the craggy north Atlantic to the Delta and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest swamp in North America. Jourdan gave us a tour of the land that shaped his Cajun ancestors. They adapted to survive — and then thrive — in this new and sometimes hostile environment. Jon Wertheim: Did I hear right, you learned to swim in this water? Jourdan Thibodeaux: Yeah, oh yeah. My mama, they would take the kids, put us in a life jacket and throw us out of the boat to go swim so they could fish in peace, you know? And she'd make the turn and she'd see an alligator. "Mama, they got an alligator." "You can see it?" "Yes ma'am." "Then it's fine. If you can't see him no more, let me know." The Cajuns didn't come with much, but they did bring their old French melodies. Jourdan Thibodeaux: We sing a lot fishing. When we sit and fish, me and my little girl, my youngest, she likes to sit and sing. So while we're fishing she sings to the fish to-- to get 'em to come. Long as he brought up fish, well, there's an unwritten rule in Cajun country: you can't have the music without the food. Joel Savoy and his family invited us into their kitchen. Marc Savoy: We're cookin' some shrimp étouffée. Étouffée is a French word that means smothered, so we smothered 'em. Jon Wertheim: Where-- where'd you learn? From-- from your folks-- Marc Savoy: Well, from my father, yeah. A lot of people say, "What's the recipe?" I said, "I don't know what the recipe is." Jon Wertheim: New York, you can go into a Michelin star restaurant, and they've got étouffée and gumbo. Marc Savoy: Yeah, but it's not the same. Jon Wertheim: Not the same? Marc Savoy: They don't know what they're doing. Marc Savoy: I propose a toast to my grandmother, who lived in this house. And with her-- lack of gentility, sh-- she would always say Errête de bavarder, assieds-toi et mangeons-nous. "Wuit your babbling, sit down, and let's stuff ourself." Jon Wertheim: Hear, hear. Dinner guest Cheers. Dinner guest: Cheers. The music, the food, the drink, the bonne temps— the good times, these traditions braid all the communities here, but with slight twists. Chubby Carrier's father and grandfather were sharecroppers who played music at night. He showed us the difference between the blues-heavy Zydeco he grew up with and the more country-infused Cajun sound. Chubby Carrier: So I took one of my grandfather's songs (music) Now you see? (music) I did all my Zydeco. (music) That's the Zydeco sound. (music) Now watch your waltz. Take it to the Cajun. (music) You hear that? And I take that same song and I speed it up. It's gonna turn into a Zydeco song. Whoa. All in one, brother. Though entwined musically for decades, the Black Zydeco and the White Cajun scenes couldn't mingle much in the Jim Crow deep South. We first met Chubby at La Poussiere (the dust), a dance hall in the town of Breaux Bridge. He remembers when Black bands—and patrons—weren't allowed in. Jon Wertheim: I wonder if you thought about what your dad and your grandpa would have been thinkin' watchin' you play this venue where they wouldn't have been playin'. Chubby Carrier: I mean, we couldn't even step in that club." Like, Daddy and my grandfather, I want to say this, they fought the fight for us, man. Daddy and granddaddy's in heaven lookin' down goin', "My son is playin' at a White venue that I never thought in a million years that I would ever, ever see." But how good it is. How sweet it is, huh? Today the Cajun and Zydeco crowd overlap like never before. Lil' Nate: So you got the too too pop. Too too pop. Chicha chicha chicha chicha chicha chicha chicha chicha. it feels like a train movin'. And that's why… Lil' Nate Williams 60 Minutes Like virtually all the musicians we interviewed, Lil' Nate Williams has seen a surge in popularity. Last year, his streaming audience jumped by, get this, more than 3,000%. Jon Wertheim: How do you describe your style of zydeco? It's not traditional, is it? Lil' Nate: Very much not traditional, man. It's a fusion. That's-- that's how I think of it. Keyboards. Synthesizers. A lotta R&B. A lotta R&B-- Nate learned to play from his father, also a renowned Zydeco musician. And, he's found, pushing musical boundaries is not always frictionless. Jon Wertheim: What's Dad say about this? Lil' Nate: My dad has always been encouraging. But I could see his face sometimes. You know? We'll sit out in the studio And he'll look at me and-- listenin' to my stuff. "Can we put some more accordion in there? Can-- can we put some more French in there? Can we put this in there?" But at the end of the day, you know, we come to some compromise in understanding that this is-- you, this is me. And the music has struck a chord beyond Louisiana. Jourdan's band tours across the country and internationally. We met Jourdan, Joel and Wilson after they'd played a packed show in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn of all places. The band—like us—ponders what, precisely, is fueling this interest outside Louisiana. Jon Wertheim: They don't speak French, they're not gettin' the lyrics, what are they connecting to-- Joel Savoy: I wonder that --all the time. Jourdan Thibodeaux: I really just believe it's the emotion. If we playin' and I'm happy and we cuttin' up and you can see and feel that good time, you're gonna feel that good time. Same thing, if the song's horribly sad, maybe it makes you feel a little sadness inside of you And you connect on that emotional level. Emotional connection to a sound that — like the accordion itself — can contract and expand, old melodies in a new era. Jourdan Thibodeaux: True music, it's emotive. You're gonna feel it. And that's-- Wilson Savoy: Sure. Jourdan Thibodeaux: Everybody wants to feel somethin' Produced by David M. Levine. Associate producer, Elizabeth Germino. Edited by Warren Lustig.
CairoScene
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Bayou Teams Up with Saudi Rapper DJmubarak on Love Anthem ‘Ya Zeina'
The track, an intricate blend of Egyptian R&B and Khaleeji sounds, explores the complexities of lovers caught in limbo. May 13, 2025 Shortly after dropping his debut EP 'Never at Home' back in November 2024, Egyptian R&B artist Bayou went musically off-grid for a while, only teasing fans with cryptic TikTok videos potentially hinting at new music in the works. Now, Bayou is finally unveiling what he's been cooking in the studio over the past six months: a new track, titled 'Ya Zeina', featuring the rising Saudi rapper DJmubarak. For Bayou, 'Ya Zeina' marks the beginning of a new chapter, in which he tries to embrace different sounds outside of his sonic peripheries. Although the track is unmistakably Bayou at its core, imbued with his signature Egyptian R&B sound that is quite soft at the edges, retailing the story of lovers caught in limbo, DJmubarak's commanding bars add a subtle and unexpected Khaleeji rhythm to the mix. The music video for 'Ya Zeina' is a surrealist dream sequence directed by Yan Bokhanovich, aka YANCHI, who previously worked with the likes of Virgil Abloh, Mike Will Made It, and ZHU. Shot in Sharjah, the video demonstrates cinematic visuals, following Bayou and DJmubarak as they arrive at a remote location, where Bayou gets pulled into a parallel world after spotting a mysterious muse, aptly his lover, whom he can't quite reach.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Read On The Fox News App 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. "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. "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. 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." 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. "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?" "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. 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., 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. "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."Original article source: The Speaker's Lobby: 'Whose throat do I get to choke?'
Fox News
10-04-2025
- Business
- Fox News
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. 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. "The president's strategy is already bearing fruit," testified Greer. "Nearly 50 countries have approached me personally to discuss the president's new policy and explore how to achieve reciprocity." Democrats were dubious at 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." 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," replied Greer. "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," shot back Hassan. "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. 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. 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," asked Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee. "And part of the question is, where's the homework done by the administration to not misconstrue the authority that was given?" 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." 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. "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. "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. 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?" asked an incredulous Horsford of Greer. "WTF? Who's in charge?" "The President of United States is in charge," stated Greer. "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. 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. 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. "Were you aware that there would be a pause before you came here to Capitol Hill? Yes or no? Yes or No, sir?" continued Killion. 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., could face a competitive reelection bid next year. He asked a pointed question to Greer. "Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?" asked Tillis. "Well, Senator, you can certainly always talk to me," replied Greer. "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."
