U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Latnik sparked widespread reactions among activists and political figures on social media after stating in an interview on the podcast All In that the United States spent $100 billion to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion, according to Kuwait's Al-Qabas newspaper.

Latnik added in a widely circulated video on Friday that Kuwait, despite this, imposes the highest customs duties on American products.

The U.S. Secretary also recalled how the United States extinguished oil wells after the Iraqi invasion, concluding his remarks by saying, "This must stop.