Lutnick Says Jobs Are Coming Back: “The Screws Will Be Tightened by Robots, But Americans Will Be Nearby — Just in Case”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a performance that critics are calling “accidentally honest,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick attempted to defend the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs on Sunday by insisting that American workers will soon enjoy the benefits of standing next to machines that do their jobs for them.

“You’re going to see the rebirth of American industry,” Lutnick told Face the Nation, seconds before being reminded of his earlier Fox News comments that the new factories would be fully automated.

“Yes, robots will screw in the screws,” Lutnick admitted. “But Americans will be right there watching—just in case.”

Lutnick clarified that this would not be “standing around uselessly,” but rather “proudly overseeing American innovation with a wrench and a good attitude.”

Critics quickly mocked the comments as evidence that the Trump administration’s blue-collar jobs pitch amounts to watching machines work and occasionally hitting the ‘Reset’ button.

Despite the backlash, the White House insisted this was a win for the working class. “Sure, they won’t be doing the labor, but they’ll be near it. And in this economy, that’s what counts.”