China, in his words · First term · № 63
Said China became powerful with U.S. money after it was allowed to "steal the cookie cutter"
“Well, China has become very powerful and much more so than in the past. They've done it, largely, with United States money, because our past Presidents allowed them to steal the cookie cutter. And that's okay—I don't begrudge China for that.”
- Said
- , Exchange with reporters after meeting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, London
- Subject
- China's rise
- Threat
- Economic and military
- Topic
- Foreign policy
- Era
- First term
What the record showed
Trump was answering a question about what threat China posed to NATO. In the same exchange he said, "China has been ripping off the United States for many, many years," and, "I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal." Ten days later, on December 13, 2019, he announced a Phase One deal, which he signed on January 15, 2020.
Sources
- Remarks Following a Meeting With Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and an Exchange With Reporters in London, United Kingdom
- Tweet: 'We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China.'
- Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement