China, in his words · First term · № 69

On China

Said China had 'ripped off the United States like no one has ever done before'

“China's pattern of misconduct is well known. For decades, they've ripped off the United States like no one has ever done before. Hundreds of billions of dollars a year were lost dealing with China, especially over the years during the prior administration. China raided our factories, offshored our jobs, gutted our industries, stole our intellectual property, and violated their commitments under the World Trade Organization.”
Said
, Remarks on United States actions against China, White House Rose Garden
Subject
trade and IP theft
Threat
Economic threat
Topic
Trade & tariffs
Era
First term

What the record showed

The Phase One trade agreement he had signed with China in January 2020 stayed in force. The Peterson Institute for International Economics found that China bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase over 2020-21 and none of the additional $200 billion. Census Bureau figures show the U.S. goods deficit with China was $308.0 billion in 2020, $352.8 billion in 2021 and $382.3 billion in 2022.

Sources

  1. Remarks on United States Actions Against China The American Presidency Project, May 29, 2020
  2. China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal Peterson Institute for International Economics, Jul 19, 2022
  3. Trade in Goods with China U.S. Census Bureau, Sep 28, 2026