[ { "id": "china-not-friends-enemies-cnn-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade with China", "title": "Told CNN that China's leaders 'are not our friends. These are our enemies'", "quote": "These are not our friends. These are our enemies. These are not people that understand niceness. And the only thing you can do, Wolf, to get their attention is to say either we're not going to trade with you any further or, in the alternative, we're going to tax your products as they come into the United States.", "date": "2011-01-20", "venue": "Interview with CNN's The Situation Room (Wolf Blitzer)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same interview Trump estimated the tax at 25 percent and said a trade war 'will cause a depression in China, not here.' As president he wrote on April 8, 2017, that it was 'a great honor' to have Xi Jinping as a guest in the United States, and on April 8, 2018: 'President Xi and I will always be friends, no matter what happens with our dispute on trade.' The U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $295.2 billion in 2011 and $418.2 billion in 2018, his second year in office.", "sources": [ { "title": "The Situation Room: America's \"Palin Fatigue\"; America Divided on Obama Presidency (transcript, aired January 20, 2011)", "outlet": "CNN Transcripts", "url": "https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sitroom/date/2011-01-20/segment/01", "date": "2011-01-20" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, April 8, 2017", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/850722648883638272", "date": "2017-04-08" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, April 8, 2018", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/982954355509907457", "date": "2018-04-08" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-damage-economically-military-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "economic and military rise", "title": "Said the Chinese 'are looking to do damage to us economically' and are 'building up a military'", "quote": "But the fact is that the Chinese are looking to do damage to us economically. They're also building up a military.", "date": "2011-02-09", "venue": "Interview with CNN's Piers Morgan", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "In the same interview Trump said of the Chinese, 'I don't think they're friends. I think they're enemies,' and proposed a 25 percent tax on all Chinese products. The Pentagon's 2020 report to Congress, released Sept. 1, 2020, in his fourth year in office, stated that China had 'the largest navy in the world, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines.' Average U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods stood at 19.3 percent in February 2020, and China bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase under the Phase One agreement signed on Jan. 15, 2020.", "sources": [ { "title": "Piers Morgan: One-on-One with Donald Trump; New York Congressman Resigns Over Internet Photo (transcript, aired February 9, 2011)", "outlet": "CNN Transcripts", "url": "https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/pmt/date/2011-02-09/segment/01", "date": "2011-02-09" }, { "title": "Pentagon Assessment: China Now Has World's Largest Navy", "outlet": "Seapower Magazine", "url": "https://seapowermagazine.org/pentagon-assessment-china-now-has-worlds-largest-navy/", "date": "2020-09-01" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2019/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2025-11-14" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-02-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-cpac-currency-rebuilding-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "currency manipulation", "title": "Told CPAC that China was manipulating its currency and 'we are re-building China'", "quote": "I love open markets, but not when China's manipulating their currency. Not when all of these other factors are taking place. ... And so many of those products unfortunately come from China, and other countries, but we are re-building China. We're rebuilding China.", "date": "2011-02-10", "venue": "Speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Washington, D.C.", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same speech he said countries including China 'view our leaders as weak and ineffective and have repeatedly taken advantage of them to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars a year.' As president, Trump signed the Phase One agreement on Jan. 15, 2020, which committed China to buy an additional $200 billion of U.S. goods and services over 2020 and 2021. China bought 58 percent of the total it had committed to purchase, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $295.2 billion in 2011, $346.8 billion in 2016 and $418.2 billion in 2018.", "sources": [ { "title": "Feb. 10, 2011 Donald Trump at CPAC", "outlet": "Democracy in Action (p2012.org)", "url": "https://p2012.org/photos11/cpac11/trump021011spt.html", "date": "2011-02-10" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-02-08" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-state-dinner-ripping-us-off-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "state dinner for China", "title": "Criticized a White House state dinner for China's president: 'You don't have dinner for people that are ripping you off'", "quote": "And then he has a state dinner for the president of the China at the White House, the most gorgeous dinner that you've ever seen -- I wasn't invited, but that's OK -- the most gorgeous dinner that you've ever seen for the president of China who's ripping us off. You don't have dinner for people that are ripping you off, Candy.", "date": "2011-04-17", "venue": "Interview with CNN's State of the Union (Candy Crowley)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "On Nov. 9, 2017, President Trump wrote: 'President Xi, thank you for such an incredible welcome ceremony. It was a truly memorable and impressive display!' Xi hosted him at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026. From Sept. 23 to 25, 2026, Trump hosted Xi for a state visit to Washington, greeting him on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews and holding a state dinner attended by technology and finance chief executives. The visit produced a two-month extension of the existing trade truce, to Jan. 10, and no purchase commitments, CNBC reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "State of the Union: Interview With Donald Trump (transcript, aired April 17, 2011)", "outlet": "CNN Transcripts", "url": "https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sotu/date/2011-04-17/segment/01", "date": "2011-04-17" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, November 9, 2017", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/928519663780208640", "date": "2017-11-09" }, { "title": "Trump, Xi wrap state visit centered on spectacle over substance. Here are the top takeaways", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/trump-xi-summit-takeaways.html", "date": "2026-09-25" }, { "title": "Here's who we know is going to the Trump-Xi dinner so far", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/22/heres-who-we-know-is-going-to-the-trump-xi-dinner-so-far.html", "date": "2026-09-21" } ] }, { "id": "china-raping-this-country-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "manufacturing jobs", "title": "Told New Hampshire factory employees 'China is raping this country'", "quote": "China is raping this country.", "date": "2011-04-27", "venue": "Remarks to employees at Wilcox Industries, New Hampshire", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "ABC News reported the same day that Trump ties, cufflinks and teddy bears carried 'Made in China' labels; Trump told the network that China's currency practices made it 'almost impossible for American companies to compete.' He used the phrase again at a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on May 1, 2016: 'We can't continue to allow China to rape our country.' The U.S. goods trade deficit with China rose from $295.2 billion in 2011 to $418.2 billion in 2018, his second year in office, and was $202.7 billion in 2025.", "sources": [ { "title": "Donald Trump Blames China for Fact That Much of His Gear is 'Made in China'", "outlet": "ABC News", "url": "https://abcnews.com/Politics/donald-trump-admits-gear-made-china-labels/story?id=13472355", "date": "2011-04-27" }, { "title": "Donald Trump: China is 'raping our country'", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/01/politics/donald-trump-china-rape", "date": "2016-05-01" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-military-buildup-free-world-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "military buildup", "title": "Called China's military buildup 'a major threat to the Free World'", "quote": "China's military buildup is a major threat to the Free World. We must remain resolute and maintain our national defense at all costs.", "date": "2011-10-17", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "The Pentagon's China report released Sept. 1, 2020, during Trump's first term, said China had 'the largest navy in the world, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines'; the 2019 edition had described it as the largest in the region. The Pentagon's 2025 report, issued in his second term, said China's nuclear stockpile 'remained in the low 600s through 2024' and 'remains on track to have over 1,000 warheads by 2030.' In September 2026 Trump hosted Xi Jinping for a state visit to Washington that included a military review in the Rose Garden.", "featured": true, "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, October 17, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/125923291591475200", "date": "2011-10-17" }, { "title": "Pentagon Assessment: China Now Has World's Largest Navy", "outlet": "Seapower Magazine", "url": "https://seapowermagazine.org/pentagon-assessment-china-now-has-worlds-largest-navy/", "date": "2020-09-01" }, { "title": "The Pentagon's (Slimmed Down) 2025 China Military Power Report", "outlet": "Federation of American Scientists", "url": "https://fas.org/publication/the-pentagons-slimmed-down-2025-china-military-power-report/", "date": "2026-01-09" }, { "title": "Trump, Xi wrap state visit centered on spectacle over substance. Here are the top takeaways", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/trump-xi-summit-takeaways.html", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-taiwan-f16-wrong-message-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Taiwan arms sales", "title": "Said holding Taiwan's F-16 request sent the 'wrong message' to China", "quote": "@BarackObama is holding Taiwan's request for 66 advanced F-16's. Wrong message to send to China.", "date": "2011-10-18", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "Trump repeated the point on Nov. 18, 2011. His administration cleared an F-16 sale to Taiwan worth an estimated $8 billion on Aug. 20, 2019; Defense News reported the sale had been in limbo after the White House directed the secretary of state to hold off, amid trade negotiations with China. In 2026 a $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan awaited his approval for months. After meeting Xi in Beijing in May 2026, Trump said he was holding the package in abeyance and called it a 'very good negotiating chip,' CNBC reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, October 18, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/126300698945134593", "date": "2011-10-18" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, November 18, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/137629814998835200", "date": "2011-11-18" }, { "title": "Taiwan F-16 sale officially cleared by Trump administration", "outlet": "Defense News", "url": "https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2019/08/20/taiwan-f-16-sale-officially-cleared-by-trump-administration/", "date": "2019-08-20" }, { "title": "Trump faces Xi as strains with allies complicate U.S. pressure on China", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/23/trump-xi-china-summit-allies.html", "date": "2026-09-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-enemy-not-friend-secrets-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "theft of secrets", "title": "Wrote that China 'steals our national security and corporate secrets' and 'is an enemy, not a friend'", "quote": "Why do we continue to sit idly by while China steals our national security and corporate secrets? China is an enemy, not a friend.", "date": "2011-10-21", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "On May 13, 2018, President Trump wrote that he and Xi were 'working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost.' On June 7, 2018, the Commerce Department announced a settlement replacing its denial order against ZTE with a $1 billion penalty and $400 million in escrow. On June 29, 2019, after what he called 'a great meeting with President Xi,' Trump wrote: 'At the request of our High Tech companies, and President Xi, I agreed to allow Chinese company Huawei to buy product from them.'", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, October 21, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/127462951014776832", "date": "2011-10-21" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, May 13, 2018", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/995680316458262533", "date": "2018-05-13" }, { "title": "Secretary Ross Announces $1.4 Billion ZTE Settlement; ZTE Board, Management Changes and Strictest BIS Compliance Requirements Ever", "outlet": "U.S. Department of Commerce (archived)", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20191230190158/https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2018/06/secretary-ross-announces-14-billion-zte-settlement-zte-board-management", "date": "2018-06-07" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, June 29, 2019 (first of thread)", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1145097774402342912", "date": "2019-06-29" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, June 29, 2019", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1145097776658812929", "date": "2019-06-29" }, { "title": "Tweets of June 29, 2019", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-june-29-2019", "date": "2019-06-29" } ] }, { "id": "china-record-trade-deficit-ripping-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit", "title": "Cited a record trade deficit with China and wrote 'They are ripping us off'", "quote": "As of September 30th, we have a record trade deficit with China of over $217Billion. They are ripping us off. #TimeToGetTough", "date": "2011-11-22", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau data put the U.S. goods trade deficit with China at $295.2 billion for all of 2011. It was $346.8 billion in 2016, the year before Trump took office, then $375.2 billion in 2017 and $418.2 billion in 2018, the largest annual deficit in the Census series, which begins in 1985. It fell to $342.6 billion in 2019 and $308.0 billion in 2020. In 2025, the first year of his second term, it was $202.7 billion.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, November 22, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/139057689958416384", "date": "2011-11-22" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-trade-deficit-security-threat-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "deficit as security threat", "title": "Called the trade deficit with China 'one of our greatest national security threats'", "quote": "America's trade deficit with China is one of our greatest national security threats. Time for Fair Trade. We must produce our own products.", "date": "2011-11-29", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The U.S.-China tariff war began in 2018, and the average U.S. tariff on Chinese goods stood at 19.3 percent in February 2020. The goods deficit with China was larger in each of Trump's first-term years ($375.2 billion in 2017, $418.2 billion in 2018, $342.6 billion in 2019, $308.0 billion in 2020) than the $295.2 billion recorded in 2011. In 2025 the deficit was $202.7 billion; U.S. goods exports to China that year were $106.0 billion, compared with $104.1 billion in 2011.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, November 29, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/141623403621777410", "date": "2011-11-29" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2019/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2025-11-14" } ] }, { "id": "china-currency-manipulator-robbing-blind-2011", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "currency manipulation", "title": "Asked when the government would 'finally classify China as a currency manipulator'", "quote": "When will the US government finally classify China as a currency manipulator? China is robbing us blind and @BarackObama defends them.", "date": "2011-12-30", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "He made the same complaint on Oct. 15, 2012. As president he wrote on April 16, 2017: 'Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem?' His Treasury Department designated China a currency manipulator on Aug. 5, 2019. On Jan. 13, 2020, Treasury reported that no major trading partner met the criteria for manipulation and placed China on its monitoring list. Treasury's report of July 23, 2026, also did not designate China.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, December 30, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/152823189410545665", "date": "2011-12-30" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, October 15, 2012", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/257936201057705984", "date": "2012-10-15" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, April 16, 2017", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/853583417916755968", "date": "2017-04-16" }, { "title": "Treasury Designates China as a Currency Manipulator", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm751", "date": "2019-08-05" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm873", "date": "2020-01-13" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0574", "date": "2026-07-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-navy-with-our-money-2012", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "naval expansion", "title": "Wrote that China's navy was 'rapidly expanding (with our money)'", "quote": "Ask China if their rapidly expanding (with our money) Navy or Armed Forces are going \"green\" -- They would laugh in your face!", "date": "2012-08-28", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "U.S. goods imports from China were $425.6 billion in 2012 and $538.5 billion in 2018, Trump's second year in office, when the goods deficit with China was $418.2 billion. The Pentagon reported on Sept. 1, 2020, that China had 'the largest navy in the world, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines including over 130 major surface combatants.'", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, August 28, 2012", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/240517969841643520", "date": "2012-08-28" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Pentagon Assessment: China Now Has World's Largest Navy", "outlet": "Seapower Magazine", "url": "https://seapowermagazine.org/pentagon-assessment-china-now-has-worlds-largest-navy/", "date": "2020-09-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-global-warming-created-by-chinese-2012", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "global warming", "title": "Wrote that global warming 'was created by and for the Chinese'", "quote": "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.", "date": "2012-11-06", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "environment", "what_happened": "On Jan. 18, 2016, Trump told Fox & Friends: 'I often joke that this is done for the benefit of China. Obviously, I joke. But this is done for the benefit of China.' PolitiFact rated as Mostly True the statement that he had called climate change a hoax invented by the Chinese. On June 1, 2017, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate accord, saying that under it 'China will be allowed to build hundreds of additional coal plants.'", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, November 6, 2012", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/265895292191248385", "date": "2012-11-06" }, { "title": "Yes, Donald Trump did call climate change a Chinese hoax", "outlet": "PolitiFact", "url": "https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/jun/03/hillary-clinton/yes-donald-trump-did-call-climate-change-chinese-h/", "date": "2016-06-03" }, { "title": "Statement by President Trump on the Paris Climate Accord", "outlet": "The White House (archived)", "url": "https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-president-trump-paris-climate-accord/", "date": "2017-06-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-not-our-friend-overtake-2013", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "China as rival", "title": "Wrote 'China is not our friend. They are not our ally'", "quote": "China is not our friend. They are not our ally. They want to overtake us, and if we don’t get smart and tough soon, they will.", "date": "2013-02-21", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "He posted similar lines on Aug. 15, 2011 ('China is a threat to America. They are not our friend.') and May 20, 2014 ('Remember, China is not a friend of the United States!'). As president he wrote on Dec. 3, 2018: 'President Xi and I have a very strong and personal relationship,' and on Jan. 24, 2020: 'on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!' In September 2026 he hosted Xi for a three-day state visit to Washington.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, February 21, 2013", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/304690887248707584", "date": "2013-02-21" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, August 15, 2011", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/103192686349131776", "date": "2011-08-15" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, May 20, 2014", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/468628780991258625", "date": "2014-05-20" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, December 3, 2018", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1069581524180324352", "date": "2018-12-03" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, January 24, 2020", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1220818115354923009", "date": "2020-01-24" }, { "title": "Trump, Xi wrap state visit centered on spectacle over substance. Here are the top takeaways", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/trump-xi-summit-takeaways.html", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-controls-north-korea-major-threat-2013", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "North Korea and hacking", "title": "Wrote that China 'controls North Korea' and 'is a major threat'", "quote": "China controls North Korea. So now besides cyber hacking us all day, they are using the Norks to taunt us. China is a major threat.", "date": "2013-04-12", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "As president, Trump cited China's cooperation on North Korea on April 16, 2017, as a reason not to label it a currency manipulator. On June 20, 2017, he wrote: 'While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!' On April 27, 2018, he wrote: 'Please do not forget the great help that my good friend, President Xi of China, has given to the United States, particularly at the Border of North Korea.'", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, April 12, 2013", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/322792909780963328", "date": "2013-04-12" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, April 16, 2017", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/853583417916755968", "date": "2017-04-16" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, June 20, 2017", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/877234140483121152", "date": "2017-06-20" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, April 27, 2018", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/989834048796266498", "date": "2018-04-27" } ] }, { "id": "china-hacked-weapon-designs-enemy-2013", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "weapons design hacking", "title": "Wrote 'China is our enemy' after reports that it hacked U.S. weapon designs", "quote": "Military has announced that China has successfully hacked our advanced weapon designs. China is our enemy.Should we offset this on our debt?", "date": "2013-05-29", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "On Feb. 10, 2020, during Trump's first term, the Justice Department announced the indictment of four members of China's People's Liberation Army for hacking Equifax and stealing the personal information of approximately 145 million Americans. In his second term, Trump allowed limited sales of Nvidia's H200 artificial-intelligence chips to China while broader restrictions remained in place, CNBC reported in September 2026.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, May 29, 2013", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/339838035195752448", "date": "2013-05-29" }, { "title": "Chinese Military Personnel Charged with Computer Fraud, Economic Espionage and Wire Fraud for Hacking into Credit Reporting Agency Equifax", "outlet": "U.S. Department of Justice (archived)", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20201230121759/https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chinese-military-personnel-charged-computer-fraud-economic-espionage-and-wire-fraud-hacking", "date": "2020-02-10" }, { "title": "Trump faces Xi as strains with allies complicate U.S. pressure on China", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/23/trump-xi-china-summit-allies.html", "date": "2026-09-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-devalued-currency-cpac-2014", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "currency devaluation", "title": "Told CPAC that China 'just devalued their currency' and was 'ripping you big league'", "quote": "they just devalued their currency. Now, for those that don't understand devaluation what they're basically doing is saying we're really ripping you big league.", "date": "2014-03-06", "venue": "Speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), National Harbor, Maryland", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "On Aug. 5, 2019, President Trump wrote that China had 'dropped the price of their currency to an almost a historic low. It’s called “currency manipulation.”' Treasury designated China a currency manipulator the same day and said it would engage the International Monetary Fund. Treasury's next report, on Jan. 13, 2020, found that no major trading partner met the criteria for manipulation and said China had 'made enforceable commitments to refrain from competitive devaluation' in the Phase One agreement.", "sources": [ { "title": "Speech: Donald Trump Addresses the CPAC Convention in National Harbor, MD - March 6, 2014", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-national-harbor-md-march-6-2014/", "date": "2014-03-06" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, August 5, 2019", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1158350120649408513", "date": "2019-08-05" }, { "title": "Treasury Designates China as a Currency Manipulator", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm751", "date": "2019-08-05" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm873", "date": "2020-01-13" } ] }, { "id": "china-rebuilding-china-we-have-cards-2015", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "leverage over China", "title": "Told CPAC 'we're rebuilding China' and 'we have the cards'", "quote": "Our roads are crumbling, everything's crumbling. And we're rebuilding China. It's got to stop and we have the cards, remember that. We have the cards.", "date": "2015-02-27", "venue": "Speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), National Harbor, Maryland", "era": "pre-politics", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "He had said the same on CNN on April 17, 2011: 'We have all the cards. China doesn't have the cards.' In 2025 China placed seven rare-earth elements under export controls, and Ford halted Explorer production in Chicago for a week amid magnet shortages, CNBC reported. Under the deal announced by the White House on Nov. 1, 2025, China agreed to suspend the rare-earth export controls it announced on Oct. 9, 2025; the resulting truce also lowered U.S. tariffs. In September 2026 the truce was extended by two months, to Jan. 10.", "sources": [ { "title": "Speech: Donald Trump Addresses the CPAC Convention in National Harbor, MD - February 27, 2015", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-national-harbor-md-february-27-2015/", "date": "2015-02-27" }, { "title": "State of the Union: Interview With Donald Trump (transcript, aired April 17, 2011)", "outlet": "CNN Transcripts", "url": "https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sotu/date/2011-04-17/segment/01", "date": "2011-04-17" }, { "title": "Trump faces Xi as strains with allies complicate U.S. pressure on China", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/23/trump-xi-china-summit-allies.html", "date": "2026-09-23" }, { "title": "Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The White House", "url": "https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/11/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-on-economic-and-trade-relations-with-china/", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "Trump, Xi wrap state visit centered on spectacle over substance. Here are the top takeaways", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/trump-xi-summit-takeaways.html", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-they-kill-us-trade-2015", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deals", "title": "Said China 'kills us' on trade and that he beats China 'all the time'", "quote": "When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let's say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time. All the time.", "date": "2015-06-16", "venue": "Presidential campaign announcement speech, Trump Tower, New York", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau data show the U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $346.8 billion in 2016, the year before he took office. It rose to $375.2 billion in 2017 and $418.2 billion in 2018, the largest annual figure in the Census series, then fell to $342.6 billion in 2019 and $308.0 billion in 2020. In 2020 he signed a 'phase one' trade deal that committed China to buy $200 billion in additional U.S. exports by the end of 2021; the Peterson Institute for International Economics found China bought 58 percent of the total it had committed to purchase and none of the additional $200 billion.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks Announcing Candidacy for President in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-announcing-candidacy-for-president-new-york-city", "date": "2015-06-16" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" } ] }, { "id": "china-bigger-problem-than-isis-2015", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "South China Sea buildup", "title": "Called China's military buildup 'very scary' and a bigger problem than ISIS", "quote": "They're building a military island in the middle of the South China sea. A military island. ... They're building up their military to a point that is very scary. You have a problem with ISIS. You have a bigger problem with China.", "date": "2015-06-16", "venue": "Presidential campaign announcement speech, Trump Tower, New York", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "CNBC reported on May 2, 2018, citing sources with knowledge of U.S. intelligence reports, that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands. On July 13, 2020 his State Department declared Beijing's claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea 'completely unlawful.' In March 2022 the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John Aquilino, told the Associated Press that China had fully militarized at least three of the islands it built in the disputed waters.", "featured": true, "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks Announcing Candidacy for President in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-announcing-candidacy-for-president-new-york-city", "date": "2015-06-16" }, { "title": "China quietly installed missile systems on strategic Spratly Islands in hotly contested South China Sea", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/02/china-added-missile-systems-on-spratly-islands-in-south-china-sea.html", "date": "2018-05-02" }, { "title": "U.S. Position on Maritime Claims in the South China Sea", "outlet": "U.S. Department of State", "url": "https://2017-2021.state.gov/u-s-position-on-maritime-claims-in-the-south-china-sea/", "date": "2020-07-13" }, { "title": "China has fully militarized three islands in South China Sea, US admiral says", "outlet": "The Guardian (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/21/china-has-fully-militarized-three-islands-in-south-china-sea-us-admiral-says", "date": "2022-03-21" } ] }, { "id": "china-mcdonalds-state-dinner-2015", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "state dinners for China", "title": "Said Chinese leaders should get McDonald's, not state dinners, because 'they're ripping us'", "quote": "We give state dinners to the heads of China. I said why are you doing state dinners for them? They're ripping us left and right. Just take them to McDonald's and go back to the negotiating table.", "date": "2015-07-21", "venue": "Campaign event in Bluffton, South Carolina", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Visiting Beijing in November 2017, he said 'I don't blame China' for the trade imbalance and faulted past U.S. administrations for allowing it. On September 24, 2026 he hosted Xi Jinping for a state visit in Washington that included a White House state dinner, after greeting Xi on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. Al Jazeera reported it was the first state visit to the U.S. by a Chinese leader in 11 years and that the two governments extended their trade truce to January 10.", "sources": [ { "title": "10 times Trump attacked China and its trade relations with the US", "outlet": "ABC News", "url": "https://abcnews.com/Politics/10-times-trump-attacked-china-trade-relations-us/story?id=46572567", "date": "2017-11-09" }, { "title": "From 'cheats' to 'great friendship': How Trump's rhetoric on China changed", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/from-cheats-to-great-friendship-how-trumps-rhetoric-on-china-changed", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-crippled-america-enemy-2015", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "China as enemy", "title": "Wrote that China is 'our enemy' and had destroyed entire U.S. industries", "quote": "There are people who wish I wouldn't refer to China as our enemy. But that's exactly what they are. They have destroyed entire industries by utilizing low-wage workers, cost us tens of thousands of jobs, spied on our businesses, stolen our technology, and have manipulated and devalued their currency, which makes importing our goods more expensive - and sometimes, impossible.", "date": "2015-11-03", "venue": "Book: Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Asked about the label on ABC's Good Morning America on November 3, 2015, he called China 'an economic enemy.' In Beijing in November 2017 he said, 'I don't blame China,' and blamed past U.S. administrations for the trade deficit. In April 2025, during a tariff escalation, he told reporters 'I don't blame China at all' and said of Xi Jinping, 'I like him. He likes me.' During Xi's state visit to Washington in September 2026 he described a 'truly great friendship,' Al Jazeera reported.", "featured": true, "sources": [ { "title": "10 times Trump attacked China and its trade relations with the US", "outlet": "ABC News", "url": "https://abcnews.com/Politics/10-times-trump-attacked-china-trade-relations-us/story?id=46572567", "date": "2017-11-09" }, { "title": "From 'cheats' to 'great friendship': How Trump's rhetoric on China changed", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/from-cheats-to-great-friendship-how-trumps-rhetoric-on-china-changed", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-tpp-back-door-2015", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "TPP back door", "title": "Said the Trans-Pacific Partnership was designed for China to enter 'through the back door'", "quote": "The TPP is horrible deal. It is a deal that is going to lead to nothing but trouble. It's a deal that was designed for China to come in, as they always do, through the back door and totally take advantage of everyone.", "date": "2015-11-10", "venue": "Republican presidential debate, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Fox Business Network / The Wall Street Journal)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "China was not a party to the agreement, as Sen. Rand Paul said later in the same debate; the next day Trump tweeted that he meant China 'would come in the back door at a later date.' On January 23, 2017 he directed the U.S. to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The remaining 11 countries formed a successor pact, the CPTPP, and China formally applied to join it on September 16, 2021, with the United States outside the bloc.", "sources": [ { "title": "Republican Candidates Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/republican-candidates-debate-milwaukee-wisconsin", "date": "2015-11-10" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'I never said that China was in the bad TPP trade deal'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/664578302447902720", "date": "2015-11-11" }, { "title": "Presidential Memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement", "outlet": "The White House (archived)", "url": "https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-memorandum-regarding-withdrawal-united-states-trans-pacific-partnership-negotiations-agreement/", "date": "2017-01-23" }, { "title": "Will China Actually Join the CPTPP?", "outlet": "The Diplomat", "url": "https://thediplomat.com/2021/09/will-china-actually-join-the-cptpp/", "date": "2021-09-17" } ] }, { "id": "china-ripping-us-on-trade-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit with China", "title": "Said China is 'ripping us on trade' and 'killing our companies'", "quote": "China is ripping us on trade. They're devaluing their currency and they're killing our companies.", "date": "2016-01-14", "venue": "Republican presidential debate, North Charleston, South Carolina (Fox Business Network)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same exchange he said the U.S. would run a trade deficit of $505 billion with China; Census Bureau data put the 2015 goods deficit with China at $367.3 billion. The goods deficit reached $418.2 billion in 2018, the largest in the Census series. FactCheck.org's review of his first term found the goods-and-services deficit with China was $282 billion in 2020, 9 percent lower than in 2016, while the total U.S. trade deficit rose 36.3 percent over the same period to almost $654 billion, the highest since 2008.", "sources": [ { "title": "Republican Candidates Debate in North Charleston, South Carolina", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/republican-candidates-debate-north-charleston-south-carolina", "date": "2016-01-14" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Trump's Final Numbers", "outlet": "FactCheck.org", "url": "https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/", "date": "2021-10-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-sucking-trillions-north-korea-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "North Korea leverage", "title": "Said China has 'total, absolute control' of North Korea while 'sucking trillions' from the U.S.", "quote": "They have total, absolute control, practically, of North Korea. They are sucking trillions of dollars out of our country - they're rebuilding China with the money they take out of our country. I would get on with China, let China solve that problem.", "date": "2016-02-06", "venue": "Republican presidential debate, Manchester, New Hampshire (ABC News)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "In April 2017, after meeting Xi Jinping, he told The Wall Street Journal that Xi had explained the history of China and Korea and that 'after listening for 10 minutes, I realized it's not so easy,' adding of China's power over North Korea, 'it's not what you would think.' On June 20, 2017 he tweeted: 'While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!'", "sources": [ { "title": "Republican Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/republican-candidates-debate-manchester-new-hampshire-0", "date": "2016-02-06" }, { "title": "Trump thought China could get North Korea to comply. It's not that easy.", "outlet": "The Washington Post", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/04/13/trump-thought-china-could-get-n-korea-to-comply-its-not-that-easy/", "date": "2017-04-13" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'At least I know China tried!'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/877234140483121152", "date": "2017-06-20" }, { "title": "Tweets of June 20, 2017", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-june-20-2017", "date": "2017-06-20" } ] }, { "id": "china-45-percent-tax-threat-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "45 percent tariff threat", "title": "Said a 45 percent tax on Chinese goods was 'a threat' if China did not 'behave'", "quote": "The 45 percent tax is a threat. It was not a tax, it was a threat. It will be a tax if they don't behave. Take China as an example. I have many friends, great manufacturers, they want to go into China. They can't. China won't let them.", "date": "2016-03-10", "venue": "Republican presidential debate, Miami, Florida (CNN)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In office he raised tariffs on Chinese goods in stages beginning in 2018. By February 2020 the average U.S. tariff on Chinese exports was 19.3 percent, more than six times the January 2018 level, and covered 66.6 percent of imports from China, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics; China's average tariff on U.S. exports rose to 21 percent from 8.0 percent. In his second term the average U.S. tariff on imports from China reached 127.2 percent in April 2025, then fell to 51.8 percent after the two sides met in Geneva and cut rates effective May 14, 2025.", "sources": [ { "title": "Republican Candidates Debate in Miami, Florida", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/republican-candidates-debate-miami-florida", "date": "2016-03-10" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2026-05-07" } ] }, { "id": "china-military-fortress-nyt-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "South China Sea fortress", "title": "Said China built a South China Sea 'military fortress' with money from U.S. trade", "quote": "I mean look at what China's doing in the South China Sea. I mean they are totally disregarding our country and yet we have made China a rich country because of our bad trade deals. ... we have rebuilt China and yet they will go in the South China Sea and build a military fortress the likes of which perhaps the world has not seen.", "date": "2016-03-25", "venue": "Telephone interview with The New York Times (Maggie Haberman and David Sanger)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "Asked in the same interview how he would deter the island-building, he said he would 'use trade to negotiate.' CNBC reported on May 2, 2018, citing sources with knowledge of U.S. intelligence reports, that China had deployed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles on three Spratly Islands outposts. In March 2022 Adm. John Aquilino, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told the Associated Press that China had fully militarized at least three of its artificial islands, arming them with missile systems, laser and jamming equipment and fighter jets.", "sources": [ { "title": "Transcript: Donald Trump Expounds on His Foreign Policy Views", "outlet": "The New York Times", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20160402021602/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/us/politics/donald-trump-transcript.html", "date": "2016-03-26" }, { "title": "China quietly installed missile systems on strategic Spratly Islands in hotly contested South China Sea", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/02/china-added-missile-systems-on-spratly-islands-in-south-china-sea.html", "date": "2018-05-02" }, { "title": "China has fully militarized three islands in South China Sea, US admiral says", "outlet": "The Guardian (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/21/china-has-fully-militarized-three-islands-in-south-china-sea-us-admiral-says", "date": "2022-03-21" } ] }, { "id": "china-economic-assault-cyber-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "cyber theft and trade", "title": "Accused China of an 'economic assault' and of stealing government secrets by cyberattack", "quote": "Our president has allowed China to continue its economic assault on American jobs and wealth, refusing to enforce trade deals and apply leverage on China necessary to rein in North Korea. ... He has even allowed China to steal government secrets with cyber attacks and engaged in industrial espionage against the United States and its companies.", "date": "2016-04-27", "venue": "Foreign policy speech hosted by the Center for the National Interest, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "In April 2018 the Commerce Department barred U.S. suppliers from doing business with Chinese telecom company ZTE over sanctions violations. On May 13, 2018 he tweeted that he and Xi Jinping were 'working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast,' and the ban was lifted on July 13, 2018 after ZTE paid a $1 billion penalty and put $400 million in escrow. In February 2020 the Justice Department charged four members of China's military with the 2017 Equifax breach, which exposed data on about 145 million Americans.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on Foreign Policy", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-foreign-policy", "date": "2016-04-27" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/995680316458262533", "date": "2018-05-13" }, { "title": "U.S. Lifts Ban That Kept ZTE From Doing Business With U.S. Suppliers", "outlet": "WRAL (The New York Times)", "url": "https://www.wral.com/u-s-lifts-ban-that-kept-zte-from-doing-business-with-u-s-suppliers/17696726/", "date": "2018-07-13" }, { "title": "Chinese Hackers Charged In Alleged Cyber-Theft Of 145 Million Americans' Data", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2020/02/10/804501991/chinese-hackers-charged-in-alleged-cyber-theft-of-145-million-americans-data", "date": "2020-02-10" } ] }, { "id": "china-rape-our-country-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit as theft", "title": "Said the U.S. 'can't continue to allow China to rape our country'", "quote": "We can't continue to allow China to rape our country and that's what they're doing. It's the greatest theft in the history of the world.", "date": "2016-05-01", "venue": "Campaign rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "CNN reported that at the same rally he said he was not 'angry at China' but at U.S. leaders, and that he had used the same comparison in 2011. The U.S. goods deficit with China rose from $346.8 billion in 2016 to $418.2 billion in 2018, the largest in the Census series, before falling to $308.0 billion in 2020. In Beijing in November 2017 he said: 'I don't blame China. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country to the benefit of its citizens?'", "featured": true, "sources": [ { "title": "Trump: 'We can't continue to allow China to rape our country'", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/01/politics/donald-trump-china-rape/index.html", "date": "2016-05-01" }, { "title": "Donald Trump Calls China's Trade Practice the 'Greatest Theft in the World'", "outlet": "ABC News", "url": "https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-calls-chinas-trade-practices-greatest-theft/story?id=38812125", "date": "2016-05-02" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "10 times Trump attacked China and its trade relations with the US", "outlet": "ABC News", "url": "https://abcnews.com/Politics/10-times-trump-attacked-china-trade-relations-us/story?id=46572567", "date": "2017-11-09" } ] }, { "id": "china-wto-greatest-jobs-theft-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "manufacturing jobs", "title": "Said China's entry into the WTO enabled 'the greatest jobs theft in history'", "quote": "NAFTA was the worst trade deal in history, and China's entrance into the World Trade Organization has enabled the greatest jobs theft in history.", "date": "2016-06-28", "venue": "Trade speech at Alumisource, Monessen, Pennsylvania (text as published)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same speech he said he would use tariffs under Sections 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 if China did not stop 'illegal activities.' In office he raised the average U.S. tariff on Chinese goods to 19.3 percent by February 2020, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. FactCheck.org found the economy added manufacturing jobs in each of his first 24 months, that the gains began to erode in March 2019, and that when he left office there were 178,000 fewer people employed in manufacturing than when he became president.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks in Monessen, Pennsylvania", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-monessen-pennsylvania", "date": "2016-06-28" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2026-05-07" }, { "title": "Trump's Final Numbers", "outlet": "FactCheck.org", "url": "https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/", "date": "2021-10-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-ip-theft-dumping-rnc-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "intellectual property theft", "title": "Pledged to stop China's 'outrageous theft of intellectual property' and 'illegal product dumping'", "quote": "This includes stopping China's outrageous theft of intellectual property, along with their illegal product dumping, and their devastating currency manipulation. They are the greatest that ever came about; they are the greatest currency manipulators ever!", "date": "2016-07-21", "venue": "Address accepting the presidential nomination, Republican National Convention, Cleveland, Ohio", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The 'phase one' agreement he signed with China, implemented on February 14, 2020, left U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods averaging 19.3 percent, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The institute's Chad Bown wrote that the deal included Chinese commitments to respect intellectual property, and that China bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase and none of the additional $200 billion.", "sources": [ { "title": "Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-accepting-the-presidential-nomination-the-republican-national-convention-cleveland", "date": "2016-07-21" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2026-05-07" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" } ] }, { "id": "china-predatory-trade-growth-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "growth after WTO entry", "title": "Blamed China's WTO entry and 'predatory trade practices' for slower U.S. growth", "quote": "But, after China joined the World Trade Organization, our average growth rate has been reduced to only 2 percent. Predatory trade practices, product dumping, currency manipulation and intellectual property theft have taken millions of jobs and trillions in wealth from our country.", "date": "2016-09-15", "venue": "Speech to the Economic Club of New York, Waldorf Astoria, New York (text as published)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "economy", "what_happened": "FactCheck.org's review of his first term found real GDP growth peaked at an estimated 3 percent in 2018, was 2.5 percent in 2019 and fell 2.2 percent in 2020, the largest drop since 2009. It noted that he had promised annual growth of 4 to 6 percent and that growth 'never exceeded 3%.' The total U.S. trade deficit in goods and services was almost $654 billion in 2020, up 36.3 percent from 2016.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks to the Economic Club of New York at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-economic-club-new-york-the-waldorf-astoria-new-york-city", "date": "2016-09-15" }, { "title": "Trump's Final Numbers", "outlet": "FactCheck.org", "url": "https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/", "date": "2021-10-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-piggy-bank-debate-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "currency devaluation", "title": "Said China was using the U.S. 'as a piggy bank to rebuild China'", "quote": "You look at what China is doing to our country in terms of making our product. They're devaluing their currency, and there's nobody in our government to fight them. And we have a very good fight. And we have a winning fight. Because they're using our country as a piggy bank to rebuild China, and many other countries are doing the same thing.", "date": "2016-09-26", "venue": "First presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "economy", "what_happened": "On April 12, 2017 he told The Wall Street Journal of China, 'They're not currency manipulators,' NBC News reported. His Treasury Department designated China a currency manipulator on August 5, 2019. Treasury's next report, on January 13, 2020, found that no major trading partner met the criteria for currency manipulation and placed China on its monitoring list, with Secretary Steven Mnuchin citing commitments China made in the phase one trade agreement.", "sources": [ { "title": "Presidential Debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/presidential-debate-hofstra-university-hempstead-new-york-0", "date": "2016-09-26" }, { "title": "In Major Reversal, Trump Says China 'Not Currency Manipulators'", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/major-reversal-trump-says-china-not-currency-manipulators-n745826", "date": "2017-04-12" }, { "title": "Treasury Designates China as a Currency Manipulator", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm751", "date": "2019-08-05" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm873", "date": "2020-01-13" } ] }, { "id": "china-steel-dumping-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "steel dumping", "title": "Said China was dumping steel and 'killing our steelworkers and our steel companies'", "quote": "You take a look at what's happening to steel and the cost of steel and China dumping vast amounts of steel all over the United States, which essentially is killing our steelworkers and our steel companies.", "date": "2016-10-09", "venue": "Second presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "On March 8, 2018 he proclaimed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports from all countries except Canada and Mexico, effective March 23, 2018. PolitiFact found that China accounted for just over 2 percent of U.S. steel imports by quantity in 2017 and 3.35 percent by value, behind Canada (roughly 18 percent), the European Union (about 21 percent) and South Korea (nearly 10 percent). On March 6, 2018 he disputed the 2 percent figure, saying China ships steel through other countries; experts told PolitiFact there was no hard data on the scale of transshipment.", "sources": [ { "title": "Presidential Debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/presidential-debate-washington-university-st-louis-missouri", "date": "2016-10-09" }, { "title": "Presidential Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United States", "outlet": "The White House (archived)", "url": "https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-proclamation-adjusting-imports-steel-united-states/", "date": "2018-03-08" }, { "title": "How much steel does the U.S. import from China?", "outlet": "PolitiFact", "url": "https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/mar/08/angus-king/does-much-steel-does-us-import-china/", "date": "2018-03-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-military-complex-tweets-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "currency, South China Sea", "title": "Tweeted that China devalued its currency and built a 'massive military complex' without asking", "quote": "Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into.. their country (the U.S. doesn't tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!", "date": "2016-12-04", "venue": "Two consecutive posts on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "He posted the tweets two days after taking a phone call from Taiwan's president on December 2, 2016. On April 12, 2017, days after hosting Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, he told The Wall Street Journal of China, 'They're not currency manipulators,' and on April 16 he tweeted, 'Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem?' On the South China Sea, his State Department declared on July 13, 2020 that Beijing's claims to offshore resources across most of the sea were 'completely unlawful.'", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/805538149157969924", "date": "2016-12-04" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/805539770864693253", "date": "2016-12-04" }, { "title": "Tweets of December 4, 2016", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-december-4-2016", "date": "2016-12-04" }, { "title": "Donald Trump questions 'one China' policy", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/12/donald-trump-questions-one-china-policy", "date": "2016-12-12" }, { "title": "In Major Reversal, Trump Says China 'Not Currency Manipulators'", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/major-reversal-trump-says-china-not-currency-manipulators-n745826", "date": "2017-04-12" }, { "title": "Tweets of April 16, 2017", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-april-16-2017", "date": "2017-04-16" }, { "title": "U.S. Position on Maritime Claims in the South China Sea", "outlet": "U.S. Department of State", "url": "https://2017-2021.state.gov/u-s-position-on-maritime-claims-in-the-south-china-sea/", "date": "2020-07-13" } ] }, { "id": "china-one-china-policy-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "Taiwan and One China policy", "title": "Questioned why the U.S. should be 'bound by a one China policy' without a deal on trade", "quote": "I fully understand the 'one China' policy, but I don't know why we have to be bound by a 'one China' policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.", "date": "2016-12-11", "venue": "Interview on Fox News Sunday", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "In the same interview he said the U.S. was 'being hurt very badly by China with devaluation,' with border taxes and 'with building a massive fortress in the middle of the South China Sea.' In a phone call with Xi Jinping on February 9, 2017, he agreed to honour the 'One China' policy, the White House said. Al Jazeera reported during Xi's state visit to Washington in September 2026 that a $14 billion U.S. arms deal with Taiwan remained on hold.", "sources": [ { "title": "Trump Says U.S. Not Necessarily Bound by \"One China\" Policy", "outlet": "Fortune (Reuters)", "url": "https://fortune.com/2016/12/11/trump-one-china-policy/", "date": "2016-12-11" }, { "title": "Donald Trump questions 'one China' policy", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/12/donald-trump-questions-one-china-policy", "date": "2016-12-12" }, { "title": "Trump agrees to honour 'One China' policy despite threats", "outlet": "BBC News", "url": "https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-38927891", "date": "2017-02-10" }, { "title": "From 'cheats' to 'great friendship': How Trump's rhetoric on China changed", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/from-cheats-to-great-friendship-how-trumps-rhetoric-on-china-changed", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-steals-navy-drone-2016", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "seized Navy drone", "title": "Tweeted that China 'steals' a U.S. Navy drone in international waters", "quote": "China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters - rips it out of water and takes it to China in unprecedented act.", "date": "2016-12-17", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "The quoted tweet replaced a first version, since deleted, in which he misspelled 'unprecedented,' CNBC reported. In a follow-up tweet he wrote, 'We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!' A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson rejected the word 'steal' as inaccurate. China returned the drone on December 20, 2016; the Pentagon called the seizure unlawful and said it would continue to investigate.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/810121703288410112", "date": "2016-12-17" }, { "title": "Tweets of December 17, 2016", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-december-17-2016", "date": "2016-12-17" }, { "title": "Trump faces 'unpresidented' moment on Twitter", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/17/trump-faces-unpresidented-moment-on-twitter.html", "date": "2016-12-17" }, { "title": "China returns seized US underwater drone", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/20/politics/china-drone-return", "date": "2016-12-20" } ] }, { "id": "china-one-sided-trade-north-korea-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "trade and North Korea", "title": "Tweeted that China takes 'massive amounts of money & wealth' but 'won't help with North Korea'", "quote": "China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won't help with North Korea. Nice!", "date": "2017-01-02", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "On April 16, 2017 he tweeted, 'Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem?' On June 20, 2017 he tweeted that China's efforts on North Korea had 'not worked out,' adding, 'At least I know China tried!' The U.S. goods trade deficit with China rose from $346.8 billion in 2016 to $375.2 billion in 2017 and $418.2 billion in 2018, according to the Census Bureau.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/816068355555815424", "date": "2017-01-02" }, { "title": "Tweets of January 2, 2017", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-january-2-2017", "date": "2017-01-02" }, { "title": "Tweets of April 16, 2017", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-april-16-2017", "date": "2017-04-16" }, { "title": "Tweets of June 20, 2017", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-june-20-2017", "date": "2017-06-20" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-hacked-22-million-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "cyber hacking", "title": "Said China hacked 22 million accounts because the U.S. has 'no defense'", "quote": "Take a look at what's happened. You don't report it the same way; 22 million accounts were hacked in this country by China. And that's because we have no defense. That's because we're run by people that don't know what they're doing.", "date": "2017-01-11", "venue": "President-elect's news conference, Trump Tower, New York", "era": "campaign-2016", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Later in the same news conference he said China had 'taken total advantage of us economically' and in the South China Sea 'by building their massive fortress.' In February 2020 his Justice Department charged four members of China's military with the 2017 breach of Equifax, which exposed data on about 145 million Americans. Announcing the charges, Attorney General William Barr cited China's 'voracious appetite for the personal data of Americans,' including the theft of personnel records from the Office of Personnel Management.", "sources": [ { "title": "The President-Elect's News Conference in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara)", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-president-elects-news-conference-new-york-city", "date": "2017-01-11" }, { "title": "Chinese Hackers Charged In Alleged Cyber-Theft Of 145 Million Americans' Data", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2020/02/10/804501991/chinese-hackers-charged-in-alleged-cyber-theft-of-145-million-americans-data", "date": "2020-02-10" } ] }, { "id": "china-very-disappointed-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "trade and North Korea", "title": "Said he was \"very disappointed in China\" over trade profits and North Korea", "quote": "I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet... ...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!", "date": "2017-07-29", "venue": "Two consecutive posts on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "On November 9, 2017, at a business event with Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump said of the trade imbalance, \"I don't blame China,\" and added, \"I give China great credit.\" He tweeted the same day that he blamed \"the incompetence of past Admins\" and that \"I would've done same!\" The U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $375.2 billion in 2017 and $418.2 billion in 2018, according to Census Bureau figures.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet...'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/891440474132795392", "date": "2017-07-29" }, { "title": "Tweet: '...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/891442016294494209", "date": "2017-07-29" }, { "title": "Remarks at a Business Event With President Xi Jinping of China in Beijing, China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-business-event-with-president-xi-jinping-china-beijing-china", "date": "2017-11-09" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'I don't blame China, I blame the incompetence of past Admins'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/928769154345324544", "date": "2017-11-09" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-ip-theft-investigation-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "intellectual property theft", "title": "Ordered a trade investigation into China's \"theft of American intellectual property\"", "quote": "Today I'm directing the United States Trade Representative to examine China's policies, practices, and actions with regard to the forced transfers of American technology and the theft of American intellectual property.", "date": "2017-08-14", "venue": "Remarks on signing a memorandum on China's trade practices, the White House", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The investigation led to a second memorandum on March 22, 2018, when Trump announced a Section 301 action that he said \"could be about $60 billion.\" By February 2020, average U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods were 19.3 percent and covered 66.6 percent of imports from China, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. A March 2019 study by economists Mary Amiti, Stephen Redding and David Weinstein found \"complete passthrough of the tariffs into domestic prices of imported goods\" during 2018, with the full incidence falling on domestic consumers.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on Signing a Memorandum on Addressing China's Laws, Policies, Practices, and Actions Related to Intellectual Property, Innovation, and Technology and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-signing-memorandum-addressing-chinas-laws-policies-practices-and-actions-related", "date": "2017-08-14" }, { "title": "Remarks on Signing a Memorandum on Actions by the United States Related to the Section 301 Investigation of China's Laws, Policies, Practices, or Actions Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-signing-memorandum-actions-the-united-states-related-the-section-301-investigation", "date": "2018-03-22" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2019/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2019-08-29" }, { "title": "The Impact of the 2018 Trade War on U.S. Prices and Welfare", "outlet": "National Bureau of Economic Research", "url": "https://www.nber.org/papers/w25672", "date": "2019-03" } ] }, { "id": "china-apec-trade-abuses-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "unfair trade practices", "title": "Told Asia-Pacific leaders the U.S. would no longer tolerate \"chronic trade abuses\"", "quote": "We can no longer tolerate these chronic trade abuses, and we will not tolerate them. ... I recently had an excellent trip to China, where I spoke openly and directly with President Xi about China's unfair trade practices and the enormous trade deficits they have produced with the United States.", "date": "2017-11-10", "venue": "Remarks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, Da Nang, Vietnam", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same speech Trump said, \"I do not blame China or any other country, of which there are many, for taking advantage of the United States on trade,\" and warned that the U.S. would no longer \"turn a blind eye to violations, cheating, or economic aggression.\" The U.S. goods trade deficit with China rose from $375.2 billion in 2017 to $418.2 billion in 2018, the largest annual figure in the Census Bureau series. It was $342.6 billion in 2019, $308.0 billion in 2020 and $352.8 billion in 2021.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Danang, Vietnam", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-asia-pacific-economic-cooperation-ceo-summit-danang-vietnam", "date": "2017-11-10" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-rival-powers-nss-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "rival powers", "title": "Named China and Russia as \"rival powers\" in national security strategy speech", "quote": "We also face rival powers, Russia and China, that seek to challenge American influence, values, and wealth.", "date": "2017-12-18", "venue": "Remarks on the 2017 National Security Strategy, Washington, D.C.", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "In the next sentence of the speech Trump said, \"We will attempt to build a great partnership with those and other countries.\" He repeated the framing in his State of the Union address on January 30, 2018, citing \"rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy, and our values.\" At Davos on January 21, 2020, six days after signing the Phase One trade agreement, he said, \"Our relationship with China right now has probably never been better,\" and said of Xi Jinping, \"He's for China; I'm for the U.S. But other than that, we love each other.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on the 2017 National Security Strategy", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-2017-national-security-strategy", "date": "2017-12-18" }, { "title": "Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-joint-session-the-congress-the-state-the-union-25", "date": "2018-01-30" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" }, { "title": "Remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-world-economic-forum-davos-switzerland", "date": "2020-01-21" } ] }, { "id": "china-red-handed-north-korea-oil-2017", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "North Korea oil sanctions", "title": "Said China was \"caught red handed\" letting oil reach North Korea", "quote": "Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!", "date": "2017-12-28", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Trump did not cite a source in the tweet; PBS NewsHour reported that he later told The New York Times, \"It was reported this morning, and it was reported on Fox.\" The underlying report, in the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, cited unidentified officials saying Chinese ships had transferred oil to North Korean vessels about 30 times since October. China's foreign ministry said it had strictly enforced trade restrictions. On March 10, 2018, Trump tweeted after a call with Xi Jinping, \"China continues to be helpful!\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946416486054285314", "date": "2017-12-28" }, { "title": "Trump says China 'caught red handed' selling oil to North Korea", "outlet": "PBS NewsHour", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-china-caught-red-handed-selling-oil-to-north-korea", "date": "2017-12-29" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'Chinese President XI JINPING and I spoke at length about the meeting with KIM JONG UN of North Korea... China continues to be helpful!'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/972506194978983937", "date": "2018-03-10" } ] }, { "id": "china-section-301-ip-theft-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit and IP theft", "title": "Called the China trade deficit \"out of control\" while announcing Section 301 tariffs", "quote": "But we have a trade deficit, depending on the way you calculate, of $504 billion. Now, some people would say it's really $375 billion. Many different ways of looking at it, but any way you look at it, it is the largest deficit of any country in the history of our world. It's out of control. We have a tremendous intellectual property theft situation going on, which likewise is hundreds of billions of dollars.", "date": "2018-03-22", "venue": "Remarks on signing a Section 301 memorandum on China, the White House", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same remarks Trump said of China, \"I view them as a friend; I have tremendous respect for President Xi.\" Census Bureau figures put the 2017 goods deficit with China at $375.2 billion; it rose to $418.2 billion in 2018 before falling to $342.6 billion in 2019. By February 2020 average U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods were 19.3 percent, more than six times the January 2018 level, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. China ultimately bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it committed to purchase under the January 2020 Phase One agreement.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on Signing a Memorandum on Actions by the United States Related to the Section 301 Investigation of China's Laws, Policies, Practices, or Actions Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-signing-memorandum-actions-the-united-states-related-the-section-301-investigation", "date": "2018-03-22" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2019/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2019-08-29" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" } ] }, { "id": "china-trade-war-lost-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit and IP theft", "title": "Said the trade war with China \"was lost many years ago\"", "quote": "We are not in a trade war with China, that war was lost many years ago by the foolish, or incompetent, people who represented the U.S. Now we have a Trade Deficit of $500 Billion a year, with Intellectual Property Theft of another $300 Billion. We cannot let this continue!", "date": "2018-04-04", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau figures show the U.S. goods deficit with China was $375.2 billion in 2017, not $500 billion, and peaked at $418.2 billion in 2018. Four days after the tweet, on April 8, 2018, Trump wrote, \"President Xi and I will always be friends, no matter what happens with our dispute on trade.\" The goods deficit was $342.6 billion in 2019 and $308.0 billion in 2020.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'We are not in a trade war with China, that war was lost many years ago'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/981492087328792577", "date": "2018-04-04" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'President Xi and I will always be friends, no matter what happens with our dispute on trade.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/982954355509907457", "date": "2018-04-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-fentanyl-form-of-warfare-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "fentanyl", "title": "Called fentanyl shipments from China \"almost a form of warfare\"", "quote": "But, in China, you have some pretty big companies sending that garbage and killing our people. It's almost a form of warfare.", "date": "2018-08-16", "venue": "Remarks at a Cabinet meeting, the White House", "era": "term-1", "category": "other", "what_happened": "On December 5, 2018, after meeting Xi Jinping in Argentina, Trump tweeted that Xi had promised to criminalize the sale of fentanyl and that this \"could be a game changer.\" On August 1, 2019, he tweeted that Xi \"said that he would stop the sale of Fentanyl to the United States – this never happened.\" China placed fentanyl-related substances under class-wide control in 2019, which the Congressional Research Service says curtailed almost all direct shipments from China to the United States; production of U.S.-bound fentanyl then concentrated in Mexico, with China a primary source of precursor chemicals.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a Cabinet Meeting", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-cabinet-meeting-0", "date": "2018-08-16" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'One of the very exciting things to come out of my meeting with President Xi of China is his promise to me to criminalize the sale of deadly Fentanyl'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1070312880095068160", "date": "2018-12-05" }, { "title": "Tweet: '...my friend President Xi said that he would stop the sale of Fentanyl to the United States – this never happened'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1156979445565202433", "date": "2019-08-01" }, { "title": "China Primer: Illicit Fentanyl and China's Role", "outlet": "Congressional Research Service (via EveryCRSReport.com)", "url": "https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IF10890.html", "date": "2026-06-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-hacked-clinton-emails-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "hacking of Clinton emails", "title": "Asserted that China hacked Hillary Clinton's emails", "quote": "Hillary Clinton’s Emails, many of which are Classified Information, got hacked by China. Next move better be by the FBI & DOJ or, after all of their other missteps (Comey, McCabe, Strzok, Page, Ohr, FISA, Dirty Dossier etc.), their credibility will be forever gone!", "date": "2018-08-29", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Trump had tweeted about the same report about three hours earlier, late on August 28. Later on August 29, an FBI official told NBC News, \"The FBI has not found any evidence the (Clinton) servers were compromised.\" NBC reported that the claim came from a right-wing media story that cited two sources briefed on the matter, and that the FBI official pointed to a June 2018 Justice Department inspector general report on the Clinton email investigation.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'Hillary Clinton's Emails, many of which are Classified Information, got hacked by China.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1034654816046329856", "date": "2018-08-29" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'Report just out: \"China hacked Hillary Clinton's private Email Server.\"'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1034610829860261895", "date": "2018-08-28" }, { "title": "FBI rebuts Trump tweet about China hacking Hillary Clinton's email", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fbi-rebuts-trump-tweet-about-china-hacking-clinton-s-email-n904811", "date": "2018-08-29" } ] }, { "id": "china-farmers-retaliation-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "tariffs on U.S. farmers", "title": "Threatened \"great and fast economic retaliation\" if China targeted U.S. farmers", "quote": "China has openly stated that they are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers, ranchers and industrial workers because of their loyalty to me. What China does not understand is that these people are great patriots and fully understand that..... .....China has been taking advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They also know that I am the one that knows how to stop it. There will be great and fast economic retaliation against China if our farmers, ranchers and/or industrial workers are targeted!", "date": "2018-09-18", "venue": "Two consecutive posts on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "China's retaliatory tariffs remained in place: by February 2020 they averaged 21 percent, up from 8.0 percent before the trade war, and covered 58.3 percent of imports from the United States, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The U.S. Department of Agriculture compensated farmers through its Market Facilitation Program, which the Government Accountability Office reported paid about $8.6 billion for 2018 and $14.4 billion for 2019, the latter to about 644,000 farming operations. On December 3, 2019, Trump said, \"I gave them $28 billion over a 2-year period.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'China has openly stated that they are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1042033116695670786", "date": "2018-09-18" }, { "title": "Tweet: '.....China has been taking advantage of the United States on Trade for many years.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1042034269374361600", "date": "2018-09-18" }, { "title": "US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2019/us-china-trade-war-tariffs-date-chart", "date": "2019-08-29" }, { "title": "USDA Market Facilitation Program: Information on Payments for 2019", "outlet": "U.S. Government Accountability Office", "url": "https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-20-700r", "date": "2020-08-21" }, { "title": "Remarks Following a Meeting With Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and an Exchange With Reporters in London, United Kingdom", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-following-meeting-with-secretary-general-jens-stoltenberg-the-north-atlantic-1", "date": "2019-12-03" } ] }, { "id": "china-wto-plundered-unga-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "WTO and lost factories", "title": "Told the UN that China's WTO entry cost the U.S. 60,000 factories", "quote": "The United States lost over 3 million manufacturing jobs, nearly a quarter of all steel jobs, and 60,000 factories after China joined the WTO. And we have racked up $13 trillion in trade deficits over the last two decades. But those days are over. We will no longer tolerate such abuse. We will not allow our workers to be victimized, our companies to be cheated, and our wealth to be plundered and transferred.", "date": "2018-09-25", "venue": "Address to the United Nations General Assembly, New York City", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same passage Trump said, \"I have great respect and affection for my friend, President Xi,\" and announced tariffs on another $200 billion in Chinese goods, for a total of $250 billion. The U.S. goods deficit with China for 2018 was $418.2 billion, the largest annual figure in the Census Bureau series. A March 2019 study by economists Mary Amiti, Stephen Redding and David Weinstein found that in 2018 the full incidence of the tariffs fell on domestic consumers, reducing U.S. real income by $1.4 billion per month by the end of that year.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-united-nations-general-assembly-new-york-city-14", "date": "2018-09-25" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "The Impact of the 2018 Trade War on U.S. Prices and Welfare", "outlet": "National Bureau of Economic Research", "url": "https://www.nber.org/papers/w25672", "date": "2019-03" } ] }, { "id": "china-election-interference-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "midterm election interference", "title": "Told the UN Security Council that China was interfering in the 2018 midterms", "quote": "Regrettably, we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election coming up in November against my administration. They do not want me—or us—to win because I am the first President ever to challenge China on trade.", "date": "2018-09-26", "venue": "Remarks at a United Nations Security Council briefing, New York City", "era": "term-1", "category": "elections", "what_happened": "Asked at a news conference the same day what evidence he had, Trump said, \"We have evidence. We have evidence. It will come out,\" and said of Xi Jinping, \"He may not be a friend of mine anymore.\" FactCheck.org rated the claim \"No Evidence,\" reporting that Trump offered no evidence of covert action and instead pointed to Chinese tariffs aimed at farmers and a four-page advertising supplement bought by the state-run China Daily in the Des Moines Register. The White House press office did not answer FactCheck.org's questions about the accusation.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a United Nations Security Council Briefing on Nonproliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-united-nations-security-council-briefing-nonproliferation-weapons-mass-destruction", "date": "2018-09-26" }, { "title": "The President's News Conference in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-new-york-city-0", "date": "2018-09-26" }, { "title": "Trump's Claim of Chinese Election Interference", "outlet": "FactCheck.org", "url": "https://www.factcheck.org/2018/09/trumps-claim-of-chinese-election-interference/", "date": "2018-09-26" } ] }, { "id": "china-rebuilt-china-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit", "title": "Told a rally \"We rebuilt China\" with $500 billion a year in trade losses", "quote": "We lost, over the years, $500 billion. We'd go $250, $300, $400, $500, $525 billion. We rebuilt China. How stupid are we? No, how stupid are we?", "date": "2018-09-29", "venue": "Rally in Wheeling, West Virginia", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Immediately before the line, Trump told the crowd, \"I have great respect for President Xi and I have great respect for China. But they have not treated us well.\" Census Bureau figures show the annual U.S. goods deficit with China has never reached $500 billion; it peaked at $418.2 billion in 2018. Trump used the \"We rebuilt China\" line on other occasions, including a Cabinet meeting on August 16, 2018, and his re-election announcement on June 18, 2019, where he added that China \"took us for suckers.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a “Make America Great Again” Rally in Wheeling, West Virginia", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-make-america-great-again-rally-wheeling-west-virginia", "date": "2018-09-29" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Remarks at a Cabinet Meeting", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-cabinet-meeting-0", "date": "2018-08-16" }, { "title": "Remarks Announcing Candidacy for the Republican Presidential Nomination in 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-announcing-candidacy-for-the-republican-presidential-nomination-2020", "date": "2019-06-18" } ] }, { "id": "china-inf-nuclear-buildup-2018", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "nuclear arms buildup", "title": "Said a U.S. nuclear buildup was a threat that \"includes China\"", "quote": "It's a threat to whoever you want. And it includes China, and it includes Russia, and it includes anybody else that wants to play that game. You can't do that. You can't play that game on me.", "date": "2018-10-22", "venue": "Exchange with reporters at the White House before departing for Houston, Texas", "era": "term-1", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "Trump made the remark two days after saying of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia, \"we're going to terminate the agreement\"; he noted that \"China is not included in the agreement.\" On December 3, 2018, he tweeted that he, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin would at some point \"start talking about a meaningful halt to what has become a major and uncontrollable Arms Race.\" The United States formally withdrew from the treaty on August 2, 2019. Trump said on May 3, 2019, that China \"very much would like to be a part of\" a new arms deal; China's foreign ministry said in July 2019 that it would not take part in trilateral negotiations, according to the Arms Control Association.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to Departure for Houston, Texas", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-exchange-with-reporters-prior-departure-for-houston-texas", "date": "2018-10-22" }, { "title": "Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters in Elko, Nevada", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-exchange-with-reporters-elko-nevada", "date": "2018-10-20" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'I am certain that, at some time in the future, President Xi and I, together with President Putin of Russia, will start talking about a meaningful halt'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1069584730880974849", "date": "2018-12-03" }, { "title": "U.S. Withdrawal from the INF Treaty on August 2, 2019", "outlet": "U.S. Department of State", "url": "https://2017-2021.state.gov/u-s-withdrawal-from-the-inf-treaty-on-august-2-2019/", "date": "2019-08-02" }, { "title": "China’s Stance on Nuclear Arms Control and New START", "outlet": "Arms Control Association", "url": "https://www.armscontrol.org/blog/2019-08-23/chinas-stance-nuclear-arms-control-new-start", "date": "2019-08-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-theft-jobs-wealth-sotu-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "theft of jobs and wealth", "title": "Declared in State of the Union that China's \"theft of American jobs and wealth has come to an end\"", "quote": "We are now making it clear to China that, after years of targeting our industries and stealing our intellectual property, the theft of American jobs and wealth has come to an end.", "date": "2019-02-05", "venue": "State of the Union address, U.S. Capitol", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same passage Trump said, \"But I don't blame China for taking advantage of us,\" and \"I have great respect for President Xi.\" The Phase One agreement was signed on January 15, 2020; China ultimately bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The U.S. goods deficit with China was $342.6 billion in 2019, $308.0 billion in 2020, $352.8 billion in 2021 and $382.3 billion in 2022.", "sources": [ { "title": "Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-joint-session-the-congress-the-state-the-union-26", "date": "2019-02-05" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-google-helping-military-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Google and China's military", "title": "Accused Google of \"helping China and their military\"", "quote": "Google is helping China and their military, but not the U.S. Terrible! The good news is that they helped Crooked Hillary Clinton, and not Trump....and how did that turn out?", "date": "2019-03-16", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "Google responded the same day, \"We are not working with the Chinese military,\" NBC News reported; the tweet came days after Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee that Google's work in China was \"indirectly benefiting the Chinese military.\" On March 27, 2019, after meeting Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, Trump tweeted that Pichai \"stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'Google is helping China and their military, but not the U.S. Terrible!'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1107025689486737410", "date": "2019-03-16" }, { "title": "Google denies working with the Chinese military after Trump criticism", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/google-denies-working-chinese-military-after-trump-criticism-n984116", "date": "2019-03-17" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'Just met with @SundarPichai, President of @Google... totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1110989594521026561", "date": "2019-03-27" } ] }, { "id": "china-huawei-very-dangerous-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Huawei", "title": "Called Huawei \"very dangerous\" and said it could be part of a trade deal", "quote": "Huawei is something that's very dangerous. You look at what they've done from a security standpoint, from a military standpoint. It's very dangerous. So it's possible that Huawei even would be included in some kind of a trade deal.", "date": "2019-05-23", "venue": "Exchange with reporters after remarks on aid to farmers, the White House", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "The Commerce Department had added Huawei and 68 affiliates to its Entity List on May 16, 2019, then issued a temporary general license effective May 20 allowing certain transactions to continue. On June 29, 2019, after meeting Xi Jinping, Trump tweeted that \"at the request of our High Tech companies, and President Xi, I agreed to allow Chinese company Huawei to buy product from them which will not impact our National Security.\" In August 2019 the temporary license was extended through November 18, 2019. A year before the remark, on May 13, 2018, Trump had tweeted that he and Xi were working to get the Chinese phone maker ZTE \"a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on Federal Aid to Farmers and Ranchers and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-federal-aid-farmers-and-ranchers-and-exchange-with-reporters", "date": "2019-05-23" }, { "title": "Addition of Entities to the Entity List", "outlet": "Federal Register", "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/21/2019-10616/addition-of-entities-to-the-entity-list", "date": "2019-05-21" }, { "title": "Temporary General License: Extension of Validity, Clarifications to Authorized Transactions, and Changes to Certification Statement Requirements", "outlet": "Federal Register", "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/08/21/2019-17920/temporary-general-license-extension-of-validity-clarifications-to-authorized-transactions-and", "date": "2019-08-21" }, { "title": "Tweet: '...I agreed to allow Chinese company Huawei to buy product from them which will not impact our National Security.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1145097776658812929", "date": "2019-06-29" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/995680316458262533", "date": "2018-05-13" } ] }, { "id": "china-currency-manipulation-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "currency manipulation", "title": "Accused China of \"currency manipulation\" after the yuan fell", "quote": "China dropped the price of their currency to an almost a historic low. It’s called “currency manipulation.” Are you listening Federal Reserve? This is a major violation which will greatly weaken China over time!", "date": "2019-08-05", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "economy", "what_happened": "The Treasury Department designated China a currency manipulator the same day, stating that Secretary Steven Mnuchin acted \"under the auspices of President Trump.\" On January 13, 2020, two days before the Phase One agreement was signed, Treasury's report to Congress concluded that no major U.S. trading partner met the legal criteria for currency manipulation and placed China on its monitoring list. In April 2017 Trump had declined to apply the label, tweeting, \"Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem?\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'China dropped the price of their currency to an almost a historic low. It's called \"currency manipulation.\"'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1158350120649408513", "date": "2019-08-05" }, { "title": "Treasury Designates China as a Currency Manipulator", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm751", "date": "2019-08-05" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm873", "date": "2020-01-13" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem?'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/853583417916755968", "date": "2017-04-16" } ] }, { "id": "china-chosen-one-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade war", "title": "Said \"I am the chosen one\" to take on China over trade", "quote": "Over the last 5 or 6 years, China has made $500 billion—$500 billion. Ripped it out of the United States. And not only that—if you take a look, intellectual property theft. Add that to it. And add a lot of other things to it. ... Somebody had to do it. I am the chosen one. Somebody had to do it. So I'm taking on China. I'm taking on China on trade. And you know what? We're winning.", "date": "2019-08-21", "venue": "Exchange with reporters at the White House before departing for Louisville, Kentucky", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Three days later Trump tweeted that he had been \"kidding, being sarcastic\" when he used the phrase. He announced a Phase One deal with China on December 13, 2019, and signed it on January 15, 2020. China ultimately bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase under the agreement, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The U.S. goods deficit with China was $342.6 billion in 2019 and $352.8 billion in 2021.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to Departure for Louisville, Kentucky", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-exchange-with-reporters-prior-departure-for-louisville-kentucky", "date": "2019-08-21" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'When I looked up to the sky and jokingly said \"I am the chosen one,\"'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1165277725541765120", "date": "2019-08-24" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1205509125788098560", "date": "2019-12-13" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-bigger-enemy-xi-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "Xi Jinping as enemy", "title": "Asked whether Fed chair Powell or \"Chairman Xi\" was the \"bigger enemy\"", "quote": "....My only question is, who is our bigger enemy, Jay Powell or Chairman Xi?", "date": "2019-08-23", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "economy", "what_happened": "Three days later, at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France, Trump said, \"President Xi is a great leader, who happens to be a brilliant man,\" and, \"I have great respect, and I like him too.\" Asked at the closing news conference whether it was a strategy \"to call President Xi an enemy one day\" and say relations were very good the next, Trump replied, \"It's the way I negotiate.\" At the Phase One signing on January 15, 2020, Trump called Xi \"a very, very good friend of mine.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: '....My only question is, who is our bigger enemy, Jay Powell or Chairman Xi?'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164914610836783104", "date": "2019-08-23" }, { "title": "The President's News Conference With President Emmanuel Macron of France in Biarritz, France", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-with-president-emmanuel-macron-france-biarritz-france", "date": "2019-08-26" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" } ] }, { "id": "china-hereby-ordered-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "leaving China", "title": "Said U.S. companies were \"hereby ordered\" to look for alternatives to China", "quote": "Our Country has lost, stupidly, Trillions of Dollars with China over many years. They have stolen our Intellectual Property at a rate of Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year, & they want to continue. I won’t let that happen! We don’t need China and, frankly, would be far.... ....better off without them. The vast amounts of money made and stolen by China from the United States, year after year, for decades, will and must STOP. Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing.. ....your companies HOME and making your products in the USA.", "date": "2019-08-23", "venue": "Three consecutive posts on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "That night Trump tweeted that reporters questioning his authority should \"try looking at the Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. Case closed!\" Two days later he said he had \"no plan right now\" to invoke a national emergency, and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said, \"we do have such authority, but it is not going to be exercised presently,\" FactCheck.org reported. FactCheck.org cited a Congressional Research Service report stating that no president had used the law \"to enact a policy that was primarily domestic in effect.\" On December 13, 2019, Trump announced a Phase One trade deal with China.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet: 'Our Country has lost, stupidly, Trillions of Dollars with China over many years.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164914959131848705", "date": "2019-08-23" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164914960046133249", "date": "2019-08-23" }, { "title": "Tweet: '....your companies HOME and making your products in the USA.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1164914962529247232", "date": "2019-08-23" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'try looking at the Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. Case closed!'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1165111122510237696", "date": "2019-08-23" }, { "title": "Can Trump 'Order' U.S. Companies to Leave China?", "outlet": "FactCheck.org", "url": "https://www.factcheck.org/2019/08/can-trump-order-u-s-companies-to-leave-china/", "date": "2019-08-27" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1205509125788098560", "date": "2019-12-13" } ] }, { "id": "china-threat-to-world-military-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "military buildup", "title": "Called China \"a threat to the world\" for building its military with \"U.S. money\"", "quote": "Well, obviously, China is a threat to the world in a sense, because they're building a military faster than anybody. And frankly, they're using U.S. money. Presidents before me have allowed China to take out $500 billion a year, and it's really more than that. They've allowed China to steal our intellectual property and property rights. And I'm not doing that.", "date": "2019-09-20", "venue": "Exchange with reporters before a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the White House", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Trump was answering a question on whether he saw China as a strategic threat; later in the same exchange he said, \"I view China in many different ways, but right now I'm thinking about trade.\" He announced a Phase One trade deal on December 13, 2019. At Davos on January 21, 2020, he said, \"Our relationship with China right now has probably never been better,\" and said of Xi Jinping, \"we love each other.\" Census Bureau figures show the annual U.S. goods deficit with China peaked at $418.2 billion in 2018 and has never reached $500 billion.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-prior-meeting-with-prime-minister-scott-morrison-australia-and-exchange-with", "date": "2019-09-20" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1205509125788098560", "date": "2019-12-13" }, { "title": "Remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-world-economic-forum-davos-switzerland", "date": "2020-01-21" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-wto-theft-unga-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "WTO and trade practices", "title": "Told the UN that China engages in IP theft \"on a grand scale\"", "quote": "Not only has China declined to adopt promised reforms, it has embraced an economic model dependent on massive market barriers, heavy state subsidies, currency manipulation, product dumping, forced technology transfers, and the theft of intellectual property and also trade secrets on a grand scale.", "date": "2019-09-24", "venue": "Address to the United Nations General Assembly, New York City", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Later in the same speech Trump said, \"We are all counting on President Xi as a great leader.\" On January 13, 2020, the Treasury Department reported that no major U.S. trading partner met the legal criteria for currency manipulation, and two days later Trump signed the Phase One agreement, calling Xi \"a very, very good friend of mine.\" China ultimately bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase under that agreement, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-united-nations-general-assembly-new-york-city-15", "date": "2019-09-24" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm873", "date": "2020-01-13" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" } ] }, { "id": "china-cookie-cutter-nato-2019", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "China's rise", "title": "Said China became powerful with U.S. money after it was allowed to \"steal the cookie cutter\"", "quote": "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.", "date": "2019-12-03", "venue": "Exchange with reporters after meeting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, London", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "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": [ { "title": "Remarks Following a Meeting With Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and an Exchange With Reporters in London, United Kingdom", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-following-meeting-with-secretary-general-jens-stoltenberg-the-north-atlantic-1", "date": "2019-12-03" }, { "title": "Tweet: 'We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China.'", "outlet": "Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1205509125788098560", "date": "2019-12-13" }, { "title": "Remarks With Vice Premier Liu He of China on Signing the United States-China Phase One Trade Agreement", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-with-vice-premier-liu-he-china-signing-the-united-states-china-phase-one-trade", "date": "2020-01-15" } ] }, { "id": "china-chinese-virus-tweet-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "COVID-19 naming", "title": "Called COVID-19 the 'Chinese Virus' in a tweet", "quote": "The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!", "date": "2020-03-16", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "covid", "what_happened": "On January 24, 2020 he had tweeted that China 'has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus' and that the United States 'greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency,' adding 'I want to thank President Xi!' On February 7, 2020 he tweeted that Xi was 'strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus.' On March 23, 2020 he tweeted that the spread of the virus 'is NOT' the fault of Asian Americans 'in any way, shape, or form.' He went on using the term 'China Virus' in tweets through January 3, 2021.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, March 16, 2020", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1239685852093169664", "date": "2020-03-16" }, { "title": "Tweets of March 16, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-march-16-2020", "date": "2020-03-16" }, { "title": "Tweets of January 24, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-january-24-2020", "date": "2020-01-24" }, { "title": "Tweets of February 7, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-february-7-2020", "date": "2020-02-07" }, { "title": "Tweets of March 23, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-march-23-2020", "date": "2020-03-23" }, { "title": "Tweets of January 3, 2021", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-january-3-2021", "date": "2021-01-03" } ] }, { "id": "china-cut-off-whole-relationship-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "cutting off relations", "title": "Said the US could cut off the whole relationship with China and save $500 billion", "quote": "There are many things we could do. We could cut off the whole relationship. ... Now, if you did, what would happen? You'd save $500 billion if you cut off the whole relationship.", "date": "2020-05-14", "venue": "Interview with Maria Bartiromo, Fox Business 'Mornings with Maria'", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau figures put U.S. goods imports from China at $449.1 billion in 2019 and the goods deficit at $342.6 billion. The relationship was not cut off: on June 22, 2020 he tweeted 'The China Trade Deal is fully intact.' Two-way goods trade was $557.1 billion in 2020, $655.7 billion in 2021 and $690.3 billion in 2022. In his second term, a May 12, 2025 agreement had the United States and China 'each lower tariffs by 115%,' and after meeting Xi Jinping on October 30, 2025 he rated the meeting 'a 12' on a scale of 0 to 10.", "sources": [ { "title": "Trump on China: 'We could cut off the whole relationship'", "outlet": "Fox Business", "url": "https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trump-on-china-we-could-cut-off-the-whole-relationship", "date": "2020-05-14" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Tweets of June 23, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-june-23-2020", "date": "2020-06-23" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures a Historic Trade Win for the United States", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-trade-win-for-the-united", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" } ] }, { "id": "china-super-duper-missile-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "hypersonic missiles", "title": "Said a US 'super-duper missile' was far faster than what China was working on", "quote": "We have no choice. We have to do it with the adversaries we have out there. We have a—I call it the \"super-duper missile.\" And I heard the other night, 17 times faster than what they have right now. ... And you take the fastest missile we have right now—you've heard Russia has five times, and China is working on five or six times. We have one 17 times.", "date": "2020-05-15", "venue": "Remarks on the presentation of the United States Space Force flag, Oval Office", "era": "term-1", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "On July 16, 2020 a senior defense official told CNN the '17 times' figure came from a March 2020 test of a hypersonic glide body 'where we flew 17 times the speed of sound.' CNN reported that the U.S. military was 'still several years away from fielding a hypersonic weapon,' with a target date of 2023 at the earliest, while Russia and China said they had already fielded such weapons and China had displayed its DF-17 at a military parade. On March 20, 2026, Stars and Stripes reported that the Army's Dark Eagle hypersonic battery had not yet received its first operational missiles and that the $12 billion program had faced development and testing delays.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on the Presentation of the United States Space Force Flag and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-presentation-the-united-states-space-force-flag-and-exchange-with-reporters", "date": "2020-05-15" }, { "title": "Pentagon reveals some details of Trump's 'super duper' hypersonic missile", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/16/politics/pentagon-hypersonic-missile", "date": "2020-07-16" }, { "title": "Army hypersonic missile battery approaches operational readiness at JBLM", "outlet": "Stars and Stripes", "url": "https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2026-03-20/army-hypersonic-weapons-battery-jblm-21131808.html", "date": "2026-03-20" } ] }, { "id": "china-disinformation-biden-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "election interference", "title": "Said China was running a disinformation campaign to elect Biden so it could keep ripping off the US", "quote": "China is on a massive disinformation campaign because they are desperate to have Sleepy Joe Biden win the presidential race so they can continue to rip-off the United States, as they have done for decades, until I came along!", "date": "2020-05-20", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "elections", "what_happened": "A declassified Intelligence Community Assessment dated March 10, 2021 stated: 'We assess that China did not deploy interference efforts and considered but did not deploy influence efforts intended to change the outcome of the US Presidential election,' a judgment held with high confidence. It said China 'did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk getting caught meddling.' The National Intelligence Officer for Cyber dissented in part, assessing that China 'did take some steps to try to undermine former President Trump's reelection.' The same assessment found that Russia's president authorized influence operations aimed at denigrating Biden's candidacy, NPR reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, May 20, 2020", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1263282623939477511", "date": "2020-05-20" }, { "title": "Tweets of May 21, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-may-21-2020", "date": "2020-05-21" }, { "title": "Foreign Threats to the 2020 US Federal Elections", "outlet": "Office of the Director of National Intelligence", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20211231171930/https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ICA-declass-16MAR21.pdf", "date": "2021-03-10" }, { "title": "Intelligence Report Says Russia Tried To Help Trump In 2020 Election", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2021/03/16/977958302/intelligence-report-russia-tried-to-help-trump-in-2020-election", "date": "2021-03-16" } ] }, { "id": "china-pattern-of-misconduct-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade and IP theft", "title": "Said China had 'ripped off the United States like no one has ever done before'", "quote": "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.", "date": "2020-05-29", "venue": "Remarks on United States actions against China, White House Rose Garden", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "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": [ { "title": "Remarks on United States Actions Against China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-united-states-actions-against-china", "date": "2020-05-29" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-espionage-industrial-secrets-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "espionage and students", "title": "Said China conducted 'illicit espionage' and suspended entry of some Chinese students", "quote": "For years, the Government of China has conducted illicit espionage to steal our industrial secrets, of which there are many. Today I will issue a proclamation to better secure our Nation's vital university research and to suspend the entry of certain foreign nationals from China who we have identified as potential security risks.", "date": "2020-05-29", "venue": "Remarks on United States actions against China, White House Rose Garden", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Proclamation 10043, signed the same day, said China used some graduate students and researchers 'to operate as non-traditional collectors of intellectual property' to modernize its military. By September 2020 the State Department said it had revoked the visas of more than 1,000 Chinese students and researchers, out of nearly 370,000 Chinese students enrolled at U.S. universities in 2018-19. Eleven months before the Rose Garden remarks, on June 29, 2019, he had said in Osaka: 'We want to have Chinese students come and use our great schools, our great universities.' On August 25, 2025 he told reporters, 'We're going to allow, it's very important, 600,000 students' from China.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks on United States Actions Against China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-united-states-actions-against-china", "date": "2020-05-29" }, { "title": "Proclamation 10043—Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers From the People's Republic of China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-10043-suspension-entry-nonimmigrants-certain-students-and-researchers-from", "date": "2020-05-29" }, { "title": "US revokes visas for 1,000 Chinese students deemed security risk", "outlet": "BBC News", "url": "https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54097437", "date": "2020-09-10" }, { "title": "The President's News Conference in Osaka, Japan", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-osaka-japan", "date": "2019-06-29" }, { "title": "Trump says US will accept 600,000 Chinese students as part of trade deal", "outlet": "Washington Examiner", "url": "https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3781400/trump-us-accept-600000-students-china-trade-deal/", "date": "2025-08-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-complete-decoupling-tweet-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "decoupling", "title": "Said a 'complete decoupling from China' remained a policy option", "quote": "It was not Ambassador Lighthizer's fault (yesterday in Committee) in that perhaps I didn't make myself clear, but the U.S. certainly does maintain a policy option, under various conditions, of a complete decoupling from China. Thank you!", "date": "2020-06-18", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The day before, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had told a congressional hearing: 'Do I think that you can sit down and decouple the United States economy from the Chinese economy? No. I think that was a policy option years ago. I don't think it's a reasonable policy option at this point.' Four days after the tweet, Trump wrote that 'The China Trade Deal is fully intact.' Census Bureau figures show two-way goods trade with China rose from $557.1 billion in 2020 to $690.3 billion in 2022, and stood at $414.6 billion in 2025.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, June 18, 2020", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1273706102023237633", "date": "2020-06-18" }, { "title": "Tweets of June 18, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-june-18-2020", "date": "2020-06-18" }, { "title": "Where do the U.S. and China stand on trade?", "outlet": "Marketplace", "url": "https://www.marketplace.org/story/2020/06/19/us-china-trade-trump-decoupling-lighthizer-farm-goods", "date": "2020-06-19" }, { "title": "Tweets of June 23, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-june-23-2020", "date": "2020-06-23" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-kung-flu-tulsa-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "COVID-19 naming", "title": "Called COVID-19 'Kung flu' at the Tulsa rally", "quote": "By the way, it's a disease without question, has more names than any disease in history. I can name, \"Kung flu.\"", "date": "2020-06-20", "venue": "Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma", "era": "term-1", "category": "covid", "what_happened": "Three days later, at a Students for Trump rally in Phoenix on June 23, 2020, he repeated the term after audience members shouted it. At the Tulsa rally he also said the virus 'should have been stopped where it originated, which was China' and that 'China sent us the plague.' On January 24, 2020 he had tweeted that the United States 'greatly appreciates' China's 'efforts and transparency' on the virus, and on March 23, 2020 he had tweeted that its spread was not the fault of Asian Americans 'in any way, shape, or form.'", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a \"Make America Great Again\" Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-make-america-great-again-rally-tulsa-oklahoma", "date": "2020-06-20" }, { "title": "Remarks at a Turning Point Action Students for Trump Rally in Phoenix, Arizona", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-turning-point-action-students-for-trump-rally-phoenix-arizona", "date": "2020-06-23" }, { "title": "Tweets of January 24, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-january-24-2020", "date": "2020-01-24" }, { "title": "Tweets of March 23, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-march-23-2020", "date": "2020-03-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-huawei-security-risk-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Huawei", "title": "Said he talked many countries out of using Huawei because it is 'a big security risk'", "quote": "We confronted untrustworthy Chinese technology and telecom providers. We convinced many countries—many countries—and I did this myself, for the most part—not to use Huawei, because we think it's an unsafe security risk. It's a big security risk. I talked many countries out of using it. If they want to do business with us, they can't use it.", "date": "2020-07-14", "venue": "News conference in the White House Rose Garden on signing the Hong Kong Autonomy Act", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "A year earlier, on June 29, 2019, after meeting Xi Jinping in Osaka, he said he had agreed 'pretty easily' to let American companies keep selling products to Huawei. In May 2020 the United States introduced sanctions aimed at Huawei's chip supply. On July 14, 2020 the United Kingdom said its mobile providers could not buy new Huawei 5G equipment after December 31 and had to remove Huawei 5G kit by 2027; the BBC reported the decision followed the U.S. sanctions. Huawei denies that it poses a national security threat.", "sources": [ { "title": "The President's News Conference", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-1242", "date": "2020-07-14" }, { "title": "The President's News Conference in Osaka, Japan", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-osaka-japan", "date": "2019-06-29" }, { "title": "Huawei 5G kit must be removed from UK by 2027", "outlet": "BBC News", "url": "https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53403793", "date": "2020-07-14" } ] }, { "id": "china-tiktok-threat-order-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "TikTok", "title": "Declared Chinese-owned apps, TikTok in particular, a threat to US national security and the economy", "quote": "Specifically, the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People's Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok.", "date": "2020-08-06", "venue": "Executive Order 13942, signed by Trump", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "On September 27, 2020 U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols halted the ban, writing that Trump likely exceeded his authority; another federal judge had paused the parallel WeChat ban, finding 'scant evidence' for the national security claims. President Biden revoked both orders on June 9, 2021. Trump joined TikTok in June 2024, saying 'It's my honor.' On January 20, 2025 he ordered the Justice Department not to enforce the 2024 divest-or-ban law for 75 days, then extended the delay three more times. On September 25, 2025 he approved a joint venture; CNBC reported in February 2026 that ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake in TikTok's U.S. operations.", "sources": [ { "title": "Executive Order 13942—Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok, and Taking Additional Steps To Address the National Emergency With Respect to the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-13942-addressing-the-threat-posed-tiktok-and-taking-additional-steps", "date": "2020-08-06" }, { "title": "U.S. Judge Halts Trump's TikTok Ban, Hours Before It's Set To Start", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2020/09/27/917452668/u-s-judge-halts-trumps-tiktok-ban-the-2nd-court-ruling-against-trumps-app-bans", "date": "2020-09-27" }, { "title": "Executive Order on Protecting Americans' Sensitive Data from Foreign Adversaries", "outlet": "The White House (Biden administration archive)", "url": "https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/09/executive-order-on-protecting-americans-sensitive-data-from-foreign-adversaries/", "date": "2021-06-09" }, { "title": "Trump joins TikTok after previously trying to ban the app", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2024/06/02/nx-s1-4989327/trump-tiktok-ban", "date": "2024-06-02" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14166—Application of Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14166-application-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled", "date": "2025-01-20" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14352—Saving TikTok While Protecting National Security", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14352-saving-tiktok-while-protecting-national-security", "date": "2025-09-25" }, { "title": "Much ado about nothing? TikTok's U.S. usership steadies after turbulent start", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/16/tiktok-us-joint-venture-user-data-no-mass-exodus-oracle-mgx-silver-lake-larry-ellison-trump.html", "date": "2026-02-16" } ] }, { "id": "china-learn-to-speak-chinese-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "China owning the US", "title": "Said China would own the United States and Americans would have to learn Chinese if he lost", "quote": "China will own the United States if this election is lost by Donald Trump. If I don't win the election, China will own the United States. You're going to have to learn to speak Chinese, you want to know the truth.", "date": "2020-08-11", "venue": "Radio interview with Hugh Hewitt", "era": "term-1", "category": "economy", "what_happened": "In the same interview he said of Xi Jinping, 'He's a great gentleman.' He repeated the claim in an August 26, 2020 tweet ('China would own our Country'), in his August 27 convention speech and at a September 7 news conference. Biden won the election, kept the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods and on May 14, 2024 raised them on $18 billion of imports, including an increase from 25% to 100% on electric vehicles. Census Bureau figures show the U.S. goods deficit with China was $352.8 billion in 2021, $382.3 billion in 2022, $279.6 billion in 2023 and $297.0 billion in 2024.", "sources": [ { "title": "Trump says Americans will have to learn Chinese if Biden wins but offers little condemnation of Beijing", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/11/politics/trump-china-biden-learn-chinese/index.html", "date": "2020-08-11" }, { "title": "Tweets of August 26, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-august-26-2020", "date": "2020-08-26" }, { "title": "Address Accepting the Republican Presidential Nomination", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-accepting-the-republican-presidential-nomination-2", "date": "2020-08-27" }, { "title": "The President's News Conference", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-1260", "date": "2020-09-07" }, { "title": "FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China's Unfair Trade Practices", "outlet": "The White House (Biden administration archive)", "url": "https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/14/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-action-to-protect-american-workers-and-businesses-from-chinas-unfair-trade-practices/", "date": "2024-05-14" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-postponed-trade-talks-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade talks", "title": "Said he postponed trade talks because he did not want to talk to China", "quote": "I postponed talks with China. You know why? I don't want to deal with them now. I don't want to deal with them now. With what they did to this country and to the world, I don't want to talk to China right now. Okay?", "date": "2020-08-18", "venue": "Exchange with reporters at a border wall briefing in Yuma, Arizona", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Six days later, on August 24, 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative said Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had held a call with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on the Phase One agreement and that 'Both sides see progress and are committed to taking the steps necessary to ensure the success of the agreement.' The Peterson Institute for International Economics later found China bought 58 percent of the U.S. exports it had committed to purchase over 2020-21. On October 30, 2025, after meeting Xi Jinping in Busan, Trump called him 'a great leader' and rated the meeting 'a 12' on a scale of 0 to 10.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks in a Briefing on Border Wall Construction in Yuma, Arizona", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-briefing-border-wall-construction-yuma-arizona", "date": "2020-08-18" }, { "title": "Statement on Call Between the United States and China", "outlet": "Office of the United States Trade Representative", "url": "https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2020/august/statement-call-between-united-states-and-china", "date": "2020-08-24" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" } ] }, { "id": "china-robbing-country-blind-rnc-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "jobs and trade", "title": "Said in his convention speech that China was 'robbing our country blind'", "quote": "Washington insiders asked me not to stand up to China. They pleaded with me to let China continue stealing our jobs, ripping us off, and robbing our country blind. But I kept my word to the American people. We took the toughest, boldest, strongest and hardest-hitting action against China in American history by far.", "date": "2020-08-27", "venue": "Address accepting the Republican presidential nomination, at the White House", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The Phase One agreement he signed on January 15, 2020 committed China to buy $200 billion of additional U.S. exports by the end of 2021. The Peterson Institute for International Economics found China bought 58 percent of the total it had committed to purchase and none of the additional $200 billion; by the end of June 2020 its purchases were at 55 percent of the pro-rated target. Census Bureau figures show the U.S. goods deficit with China was $342.6 billion in 2019, $308.0 billion in 2020 and $352.8 billion in 2021.", "sources": [ { "title": "Address Accepting the Republican Presidential Nomination", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-accepting-the-republican-presidential-nomination-2", "date": "2020-08-27" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-labor-day-decoupling-military-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "decoupling and military", "title": "Said China used money from US trade to build its military and raised 'decoupling'", "quote": "there's been no country anywhere, at any time, that's ripped us off like China has. We lose billions and billions of dollars for years and years, decades. ... And they take that money, and they build their military. And you see they're building up a powerful military. ... So we lose billions of dollars, and if we didn't do business with them, we wouldn't lose billions of dollars. It's called \"decoupling.\"", "date": "2020-09-07", "venue": "Labor Day news conference, White House North Portico", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same news conference he said 'I made a great trade deal with China' and that China was making record purchases of corn and soybeans. The Peterson Institute for International Economics found China bought 58 percent of what it had committed to purchase over 2020-21. Census Bureau figures show two-way goods trade with China rose from $557.1 billion in 2020 to $690.3 billion in 2022. Under a deal announced November 1, 2025, the United States cut its fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese imports by 10 percentage points and suspended an export-control rule for one year, while China agreed to buy U.S. soybeans and issue general licenses for rare earth exports.", "sources": [ { "title": "The President's News Conference", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-1260", "date": "2020-09-07" }, { "title": "China bought none of the extra $200 billion of US exports in Trump's trade deal", "outlet": "Peterson Institute for International Economics", "url": "https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal", "date": "2022-07-19" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-michigan-jobs-pillaging-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "Michigan jobs and tariffs", "title": "Accused China of 'rampant theft of Michigan jobs' and said Biden would let it 'resume its pillaging'", "quote": "I also took the toughest ever action to stand up to China's rampant theft of Michigan jobs. Biden has vowed to remove these tariffs and allow China to resume its pillaging.", "date": "2020-09-10", "venue": "Rally in Freeland, Michigan", "era": "term-1", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "At the same rally he said 'If Biden wins, China wins' and 'If Biden's elected, China will own America,' lines he repeated in tweets into November 2020. As president, Biden did not remove the tariffs: on May 14, 2024 he directed increases in Section 301 tariffs on $18 billion of Chinese imports, raising the rate on electric vehicles from 25% to 100% and on certain steel and aluminum products to 25%. In Trump's second term, a May 12, 2025 agreement had the United States and China 'each lower tariffs by 115%,' and a deal announced November 1, 2025 cut U.S. fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods by 10 percentage points.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a \"Make America Great Again\" Rally in Freeland, Michigan", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-make-america-great-again-rally-freeland-michigan", "date": "2020-09-10" }, { "title": "FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China's Unfair Trade Practices", "outlet": "The White House (Biden administration archive)", "url": "https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/14/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-action-to-protect-american-workers-and-businesses-from-chinas-unfair-trade-practices/", "date": "2024-05-14" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures a Historic Trade Win for the United States", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-trade-win-for-the-united", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, November 2, 2020", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1323330770199408640", "date": "2020-11-02" } ] }, { "id": "china-unga-hold-accountable-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "COVID-19 accountability", "title": "Told the UN General Assembly that China must be held accountable for the pandemic", "quote": "As we pursue this bright future, we must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world: China. In the earliest days of the virus, China locked down travel domestically, while allowing flights to leave China and infect the world.", "date": "2020-09-22", "venue": "Videotaped remarks to the United Nations General Assembly", "era": "term-1", "category": "covid", "what_happened": "On January 24, 2020 he had tweeted that the United States 'greatly appreciates' China's 'efforts and transparency' on the virus and thanked President Xi. In the same UN speech he said the World Health Organization was 'virtually controlled by China'; the withdrawal notice his administration gave on July 6, 2020 was retracted on January 20, 2021, and he ordered withdrawal again on January 20, 2025. After meeting Xi on October 30, 2025 he rated the meeting 'a 12' on a scale of 0 to 10. The White House fact sheet on the resulting deal lists commitments on fentanyl precursors, rare earths, soybeans and tariffs.", "sources": [ { "title": "Videotaped Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/videotaped-remarks-the-united-nations-general-assembly", "date": "2020-09-22" }, { "title": "Tweets of January 24, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-january-24-2020", "date": "2020-01-24" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14155—Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14155-withdrawing-the-united-states-from-the-world-health-organization", "date": "2025-01-20" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-military-companies-order-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "military-linked companies", "title": "Declared that China was using US capital to build a military that threatens the homeland", "quote": "I, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, find that the People's Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas, including by developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction, advanced conventional weapons, and malicious cyber-enabled actions against the United States and its people.", "date": "2020-11-12", "venue": "Executive Order 13959, signed by Trump", "era": "term-1", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "The order barred U.S. persons from trading securities of firms the Defense Department designated as Communist Chinese military companies. Xiaomi, designated on January 14, 2021, sued; on March 12, 2021 U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras preliminarily enjoined the prohibitions against it, the government did not appeal, and an order removing Xiaomi from the list was signed on May 25, 2021. On June 3, 2021 President Biden issued an order that replaced sections 1 through 5 of Executive Order 13959 and applied the investment prohibition to companies listed in its annex beginning August 2, 2021.", "sources": [ { "title": "Executive Order 13959—Addressing the Threat From Securities Investments That Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-13959-addressing-the-threat-from-securities-investments-that-finance", "date": "2020-11-12" }, { "title": "U.S. Removes Xiaomi from List of Banned Chinese Companies", "outlet": "Holland & Knight", "url": "https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2021/05/us-removes-xiaomi-from-list-of-banned-chinese-companies", "date": "2021-05-27" }, { "title": "Executive Order on Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Certain Companies of the People's Republic of China", "outlet": "The White House (Biden administration archive)", "url": "https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/03/executive-order-on-addressing-the-threat-from-securities-investments-that-finance-certain-companies-of-the-peoples-republic-of-china/", "date": "2021-06-03" } ] }, { "id": "china-defense-bill-biggest-winner-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "defense bill veto", "title": "Said China was the biggest winner of the annual defense bill and vetoed it", "quote": "THE BIGGEST WINNER OF OUR NEW DEFENSE BILL IS CHINA!. I WILL VETO!", "date": "2020-12-13", "venue": "Post on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-1", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "He vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 on December 23, 2020, calling it 'a \"gift\" to China and Russia.' The objections listed in his veto message were the bill's failure to repeal Section 230, the renaming of military installations, limits on military construction funds, a 5G provision and restrictions on withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, Germany and South Korea. The House voted to override the veto on December 28, 2020 and the Senate followed, 81-13, on January 1, 2021. Al Jazeera reported that the law identified China as the top U.S. strategic threat and created a Pacific Deterrence Initiative, under which the Pentagon planned to invest more than $18.5 billion over five years.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, December 13, 2020", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1338149139205550086", "date": "2020-12-13" }, { "title": "Tweets of December 13, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-december-13-2020", "date": "2020-12-13" }, { "title": "Message to the House of Representatives Returning Without Approval Legislation Approving the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/message-the-house-representatives-returning-without-approval-legislation-approving-the", "date": "2020-12-23" }, { "title": "In blow to Trump, US Congress overrides defence bill veto", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/1/us-congress-overrides-trumps-veto-of-defence-bill", "date": "2021-01-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-solarwinds-may-be-china-2020", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "SolarWinds cyberattack", "title": "Suggested China, not Russia, may have been behind the SolarWinds hack", "quote": "The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality. I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control. Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of.... ....discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!).", "date": "2020-12-19", "venue": "Posts on Twitter (@realDonaldTrump), two-part thread", "era": "term-1", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "On January 5, 2021 the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the National Security Agency said in a joint statement that the work of their task force 'indicates that an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor, likely Russian in origin, is responsible for most or all of the recently discovered, ongoing cyber compromises of both government and non-governmental networks.' The agencies described it as 'an intelligence gathering effort.' The statement did not name China.", "sources": [ { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, December 19, 2020 (part 1)", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1340333618691002368", "date": "2020-12-19" }, { "title": "Tweet by @realDonaldTrump, December 19, 2020 (part 2)", "outlet": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1340333619299147781", "date": "2020-12-19" }, { "title": "Tweets of December 19, 2020", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-december-19-2020", "date": "2020-12-19" }, { "title": "Joint Statement by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the National Security Agency (NSA)", "outlet": "Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/joint-statement-federal-bureau-investigation-fbi-cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency-0", "date": "2021-01-05" } ] }, { "id": "china-economic-threat-cpac-2021", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "economic threat", "title": "Calls China a tremendous economic threat in first post-presidency speech", "quote": "But of course, as you know, they have a very close, personal relationship with China, so I don't expect much to happen. It's a shame, because it really is a threat. It's a tremendous economic threat. Thank God we've rebuilt our military, but it's a tremendous economic threat. Never forget it.", "date": "2021-02-28", "venue": "Speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Orlando, Florida", "era": "between-terms", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In the same speech he said companies that create jobs in China should be \"tariffed, fined and punished.\" In his second term, U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods reached at least 145% in 2025 and were cut to 30% for 90 days under a truce announced on May 12, 2025. After meeting Xi Jinping in Busan on Oct. 30, 2025, he halved the fentanyl-related tariff to 10% and said overall duties on Chinese goods would fall to 47%. The U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $202.7 billion in 2025, down from $297.0 billion in 2024, according to Census Bureau data. In September 2026 he hosted Xi for a state visit in Washington; NBC News reported that he refers to Xi as his \"good friend\" and to the two countries as the \"G2.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Trump's Speech at CPAC 2021 Transcript", "outlet": "Rev", "url": "https://www.rev.com/transcripts/donald-trump-cpac-2021-speech-transcript", "date": "2021-02-28" }, { "title": "U.S. and China announce deal to temporarily cut tariffs", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/nx-s1-5395027/us-china-tariffs-deal-trade-war-beijing-washington", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "Trump cuts fentanyl tariffs on China to 10% as Beijing delays latest rare earths curbs by a year", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/30/trump-cuts-fentanyl-tariffs-on-china-to-10percent-says-us-reached-rare-earths-deal-.html", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Trump-Xi summit: Leaders meet at White House amid tensions over Taiwan, trade and AI", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/trump-xi-summit-meet-white-house-tensions-taiwan-trade-ai-rcna598073", "date": "2026-09-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-covid-reparations-2021", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "COVID-19 reparations", "title": "Demands reparations from China for COVID-19 and a 100% tariff on Chinese goods", "quote": "The time has come for America and the world to demand reparations and accountability from the Communist Party of China. We should all declare within one unified voice that China must pay. They must pay. The United States should immediately take steps to phase in a firm 100% tariff on all goods made in China.", "date": "2021-06-05", "venue": "Speech at the North Carolina Republican Party convention, Greenville, North Carolina", "era": "between-terms", "category": "covid", "what_happened": "Later in the same speech he said all nations should present China \"a bill for a minimum of $10 trillion\" and cancel debts owed to China as a down payment. In his second term, U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods reached as high as 145% in 2025 and were then reduced in a series of truces that began with a joint statement in Geneva on May 12, 2025. The Geneva statement and the White House fact sheet on the deal reached after his Oct. 30, 2025 meeting with Xi Jinping set out terms on tariffs, fentanyl precursors, rare earths and soybean purchases; neither includes compensation for the pandemic. In late September 2026 the average U.S. tariff rate on Chinese goods was estimated at about 22%, the Associated Press reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "Trump at NC GOP Convention Speech Transcript", "outlet": "Rev", "url": "https://www.rev.com/transcripts/donald-trump-speech-transcript-at-north-carolina-gop-convention-dinner-june-5", "date": "2021-06-05" }, { "title": "Joint Statement on U.S.-China Economic and Trade Meeting in Geneva", "outlet": "The White House", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/joint-statement-between-the-united-states-and-china-trade-negotiations-geneva-switzerland", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The White House", "url": "https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/11/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-on-economic-and-trade-relations-with-china/", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "U.S. and China release product lists for tariff cuts after Trump-Xi meeting", "outlet": "PBS News (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-and-china-release-product-lists-for-tariff-cuts-after-trump-xi-meeting", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-500-billion-ripoff-2021", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit", "title": "Says China was ripping off the United States for $500 billion a year", "quote": "China was ripping us off $500 billion a year. Europe, they sound nice, but they rip us. They're almost as bad as China.", "date": "2021-12-02", "venue": "Interview on Fox News, Fox & Friends", "era": "between-terms", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau data show the U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $346.8 billion in 2016, the year before he took office, and peaked at $418.2 billion in 2018, during his first term. It was $352.8 billion in 2021, the year of the interview. He repeated the figure in a CNBC interview on March 11, 2024, putting it at \"$507 billion a year.\" In 2025, the first year of his second term, the deficit was $202.7 billion.", "sources": [ { "title": "Donald Trump Interview with Brian Kilmeade, Steve Doocy, and Ainsley Earhardt of \"Fox and Friends\"", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/donald-trump-interview-with-brian-kilmeade-steve-doocy-and-ainsley-earhardt-fox-and", "date": "2021-12-02" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Interview: Joe Kernen of CNBC Interviews Donald Trump on 'Squawk Box' - March 11, 2024", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-interview-joe-kernen-cnbc-squawk-box-march-11-2024/", "date": "2024-03-11" } ] }, { "id": "china-bagram-air-base-2022", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Bagram air base", "title": "Says the Afghanistan withdrawal surrendered Bagram air base to China", "quote": "surrendering Bagram air base to China, China has it. We were going to keep it. It costs billions and billions of dollars to build many years ago, one hour away from where China makes their nuclear weapons, and we gave it away.", "date": "2022-04-09", "venue": "Rally in Selma, North Carolina", "era": "between-terms", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "The Taliban took over Bagram along with the rest of Afghanistan in 2021 and held a military parade at the base in August 2024, CBS News reported. Nuclear experts told CBS that China manufactures its nuclear weapons deeper inside the country and that the old Lop Nur test range is about 1,200 miles from Bagram. He repeated the claim through the 2024 campaign, saying in Wilkes-Barre on Aug. 17, 2024, that \"China occupies it right now.\" In September 2025 he said the U.S. was \"trying to get\" the base back; the Taliban rejected any handover.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a Rally in Selma, North Carolina", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-rally-selma-north-carolina", "date": "2022-04-09" }, { "title": "Trump's push to reclaim Bagram Air Base cites proximity to China's nuclear program", "outlet": "CBS News", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-bagram-afghanistan-china/", "date": "2025-09-25" }, { "title": "Why Trump wants the U.S. to 'get back' the Bagram Airfield from the Taliban", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/afghanistan/trump-bagram-air-base-taliban-afghanistan-china-rcna232352", "date": "2025-09-19" }, { "title": "Remarks at Campaign Rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-campaign-rally-wilkes-barre-pennsylvania", "date": "2024-08-17" } ] }, { "id": "china-taiwan-is-next-2022", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Taiwan", "title": "Says China will move on Taiwan next and faults Pelosi's trip there", "quote": "And China, with Taiwan is next. Just watch what's happening. You see it happening before you. How stupid it was that she went.", "date": "2022-08-05", "venue": "Rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin", "era": "between-terms", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "Earlier in the speech he said of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan that she \"gave them an excuse.\" He used the line \"China with Taiwan is next\" at rallies through 2024, including in Rome, Georgia, on March 9, 2024. In his second term he held three face-to-face summits with Xi Jinping between October 2025 and September 2026. NBC News reported in September 2026 that Xi had ramped up military pressure on Taiwan, which remained self-ruling, and that Trump had described a pending $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan as a potential \"negotiating chip\" with Xi.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a Rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-rally-waukesha-wisconsin", "date": "2022-08-05" }, { "title": "Remarks at a Campaign Rally in Rome, Georgia", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-campaign-rally-rome-georgia", "date": "2024-03-09" }, { "title": "Trump-Xi summit: Leaders meet at White House amid tensions over Taiwan, trade and AI", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/trump-xi-summit-meet-white-house-tensions-taiwan-trade-ai-rcna598073", "date": "2026-09-23" }, { "title": "US, China list goods recommended for tariff cuts following Trump-Xi summit", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/9/28/us-china-list-goods-recommended-for-tariff-cuts-following-trump-xi-summit", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-raped-and-pillaged-2022", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade abuse", "title": "Says China raped and pillaged the United States on trade", "quote": "And I stood up to China like no president in history, taking in billions and billions and billions of dollars and tariffs and taxes. No other president took in 10 cents. They never did anything. They came in and they raped and pillaged our country, and we never did anything.", "date": "2022-09-23", "venue": "Rally in Wilmington, North Carolina", "era": "between-terms", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $382.3 billion in 2022, the year of the speech, and $202.7 billion in 2025, according to Census Bureau data. In his second term, tariffs on Chinese goods reached at least 145% in 2025 before a truce announced on May 12, 2025, cut them to 30%. After Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington in September 2026, the two governments released lists of products for tariff cuts covering about $30 billion of trade on each side. The Associated Press reported an analyst estimate that the average U.S. tariff rate on Chinese goods would drop from around 22% to roughly 20.5%, compared with roughly 11% before his return to office.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a Rally in Wilmington, North Carolina", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-rally-wilmington-north-carolina", "date": "2022-09-23" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "U.S. and China announce deal to temporarily cut tariffs", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/nx-s1-5395027/us-china-tariffs-deal-trade-war-beijing-washington", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "U.S. and China release product lists for tariff cuts after Trump-Xi meeting", "outlet": "PBS News (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-and-china-release-product-lists-for-tariff-cuts-after-trump-xi-meeting", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-spy-balloon-2023", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "spy balloon", "title": "Demands the Chinese surveillance balloon be shot down", "quote": "SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!", "date": "2023-02-03", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "The Pentagon said that day that downing the balloon over land would create a significant debris field that could hurt people on the ground. An F-22 shot it down off the South Carolina coast on Feb. 4, 2023. A senior Pentagon official then said Chinese surveillance balloons had \"transited the continental United States briefly at least three times during the prior administration.\" Trump wrote on Feb. 5 that this \"NEVER\" happened while he was president; a defense official said the earlier flights were discovered after his administration left office.", "sources": [ { "title": "Donald J. Trump: \"SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!\"", "outlet": "Trump's Truth (Truth Social archive)", "url": "https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/17021", "date": "2023-02-03" }, { "title": "February 3, 2023 Suspected Chinese spy balloon flies over the US", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/suspected-chinese-balloon-us#h_a92744d40ca489a5be8b20e6b84fe335", "date": "2023-02-03" }, { "title": "U.S. shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast", "outlet": "PBS News", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-prepares-to-shoot-down-chinese-balloon-over-atlantic-ocean", "date": "2023-02-04" }, { "title": "Trump seethes on Truth Social after Pentagon says Chinese spy balloons flew over US on his watch", "outlet": "Salon", "url": "https://www.salon.com/2023/02/06/seethes-on-truth-social-after-pentagon-says-chinese-spy-balloons-flew-over-us-on-his-watch/", "date": "2023-02-06" } ] }, { "id": "china-thousands-of-spies-2023", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "espionage", "title": "Says China has many thousands of spies working in the United States", "quote": "It’s rarely even mentioned that China has many thousands of SPIES working in the United States—in business, finance, academia, technology, media, and likely even government, very sadly.", "date": "2023-02-03", "venue": "Agenda47 campaign video, \"Stopping Chinese Espionage\"", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "In the same video he pledged visa sanctions and travel restrictions \"to shut off Chinese access to American secrets.\" On May 28, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the U.S. would \"aggressively revoke\" visas for Chinese students, including those with Communist Party connections or studying in critical fields. On Aug. 25, 2025, Trump told reporters of Chinese students: \"We're going to allow it. It's very important, 600,000 students.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Stopping Chinese Espionage | Agenda47 | Donald J. Trump", "outlet": "donaldjtrump.com (Internet Archive)", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20230520133622/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/stopping-chinese-espionage", "date": "2023-02-03" }, { "title": "Marco Rubio says US will begin revoking visas of Chinese students", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/28/marco-rubio-says-us-will-begin-revoking-visas-of-chinese-students", "date": "2025-05-28" }, { "title": "Remarks: Donald Trump Holds a Bilat with Lee Jae-Myung of South Korea - August 25, 2025", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-remarks-bilat-lee-jae-myung-south-korea-august-25-2025/", "date": "2025-08-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-phase-out-imports-2023", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "dependence on China", "title": "Pledges to revoke China's trade status and phase out essential imports in four years", "quote": "We will revoke China’s Most Favored Nation trade status, and adopt a 4-year plan to phase out all Chinese imports of essential goods—everything from electronics to steel to pharmaceuticals.", "date": "2023-02-27", "venue": "Agenda47 campaign video on trade", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "He introduced the pledge as a plan \"to completely eliminate dependence on China in all critical areas.\" A Senate bill to revoke China's permanent normal trade relations status, S. 206, was introduced on Jan. 23, 2025; its official summary describes that status as current law. U.S. goods imports from China were $308.7 billion in 2025, down from $440.3 billion in 2024, according to Census Bureau data. After Xi Jinping's state visit in September 2026, the two governments released lists of products for tariff cuts; China's commerce ministry said more than 90% of them would be subject to \"most-favored-nation\" rates, the Associated Press reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "Agenda47: President Trump’s New Trade Plan to Protect American Workers | Agenda47 | Donald J. Trump", "outlet": "donaldjtrump.com (Internet Archive)", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20230520133120/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-president-trumps-new-trade-plan-to-protect-american-workers", "date": "2023-02-27" }, { "title": "Restoring Trade Fairness Act (bill summary, S. 206, 119th Congress)", "outlet": "GovInfo, U.S. Government Publishing Office", "url": "https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSUM/119/s/BILLSUM-119s206.xml", "date": "2025-01-23" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "U.S. and China release product lists for tariff cuts after Trump-Xi meeting", "outlet": "PBS News (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-and-china-release-product-lists-for-tariff-cuts-after-trump-xi-meeting", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-deficit-funds-military-2023", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "trade deficit and military", "title": "Says China uses U.S. trade dollars to buy American assets and build its military", "quote": "We foolishly send China hundreds of billions of dollars and China uses those dollars to buy up our real estate, our factories, and our wealth-creating industries. And they also use all that money to build up their military and they're doing it rapidly.", "date": "2023-02-28", "venue": "Agenda47 campaign video on trade deficits", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "He had used a similar line at 2022 rallies, saying in Warren, Michigan, on Oct. 1, 2022, that the country was allowing China to use \"the trillions of dollars it has taken from us, to build a military to rival our own.\" The U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $382.3 billion in 2022 and $202.7 billion in 2025, according to Census Bureau data. On Dec. 8, 2025, he said Nvidia would be allowed to ship its H200 artificial intelligence chips to approved customers in China on the condition that the U.S. government receives a 25% cut.", "sources": [ { "title": "Reclaiming America’s Independence by Slashing Biden’s Disastrous Trade Deficits | Agenda47 | Donald J. Trump", "outlet": "donaldjtrump.com (Internet Archive)", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20230520132954/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/reclaiming-americas-independence-by-slashing-bidens-disastrous-trade-deficits", "date": "2023-02-28" }, { "title": "Remarks at a Rally in Warren, Michigan", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-rally-warren-michigan", "date": "2022-10-01" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "Trump: Nvidia can sell H200 AI chips to China if U.S. gets 25% cut", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/08/trump-nvidia-h200-sales-china.html", "date": "2025-12-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-cuba-48-hours-2023", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "military sites in Cuba", "title": "Says he would give China 48 hours to remove military and spy equipment from Cuba", "quote": "I will inform China that they have 48 hours to get any military and spy equipment out of Cuba, or we will drop the hammer and there will be tariffs and taxes unlike anything they've ever seen.", "date": "2023-06-25", "venue": "Speech at the Oakland County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner, Novi, Michigan", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "A Biden administration official said in June 2023 that China had operated a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019 and had upgraded its operation there that year, which was during Trump's first term. The Center for Strategic and International Studies reported on June 18, 2026, that a new antenna array at the Bejucal signals-intelligence site near Havana appeared complete and had \"very likely begun operations,\" while noting that no clear publicly available evidence proves China's involvement there. Fox News reported in May 2026 that the Trump administration had expanded sanctions on Cuba and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had acknowledged a Russian and Chinese intelligence presence on the island.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at the Oakland Country Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner in Novi, Michigan", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-oakland-country-republican-party-lincoln-day-dinner-novi-michigan", "date": "2023-06-25" }, { "title": "China has had a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019, US confirms", "outlet": "Air Force Times (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.airforcetimes.com/flashpoints/2023/06/11/china-has-had-a-spy-base-in-cuba-since-at-least-2019-us-confirms/", "date": "2023-06-11" }, { "title": "New Activity at Possible Chinese Intelligence Facilities in Cuba", "outlet": "Center for Strategic and International Studies", "url": "https://www.csis.org/analysis/new-activity-possible-chinese-intelligence-facilities-cuba", "date": "2026-06-18" }, { "title": "Pressure on Cuba grows as China, Russia expand spy sites near Florida", "outlet": "Fox News", "url": "https://www.foxnews.com/politics/china-linked-spy-site-expansion-cuba-raises-alarms-near-key-us-military-bases", "date": "2026-05-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-auto-industry-evs-2023", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "electric vehicles", "title": "Says the entire U.S. car industry will be shipped to China under electric vehicle rules", "quote": "under Biden's mandate, the entire car industry will be packed up and shipped to China, which controls over 80% of the supply chain for electric vehicle batteries. They control the whole thing.", "date": "2023-09-27", "venue": "Speech to auto workers in Clinton Township, Michigan", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "economy", "what_happened": "As of May 2026, major Chinese automakers such as BYD, Geely and SAIC had no retail presence in the United States, where they faced 100% tariffs, CNBC reported. At the Detroit Economic Club in January 2026, Trump said he would welcome Chinese automakers manufacturing in the U.S.; CNBC reported the remarks were later walked back. In September 2026, more than two dozen Democratic lawmakers urged him to maintain the effective ban on Chinese automakers in the U.S. market, NBC News reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks to Auto Workers in Clinton Township, Michigan", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-auto-workers-clinton-township-michigan", "date": "2023-09-27" }, { "title": "Chinese parts are already in U.S. cars as lawmakers warn Trump against China auto deal", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/14/trump-china-chinese-autos.html", "date": "2026-05-14" }, { "title": "Trump-Xi summit: Leaders meet at White House amid tensions over Taiwan, trade and AI", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/trump-xi-summit-meet-white-house-tensions-taiwan-trade-ai-rcna598073", "date": "2026-09-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-is-our-boss-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "economic leverage", "title": "Says China is the boss of the United States", "quote": "China is, right now, our boss. They are the boss of the United States, almost like we're a subsidiary of China.", "date": "2024-03-11", "venue": "Interview on CNBC, Squawk Box", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "He made the remark while arguing that tariffs give the U.S. power in dealing with other countries. In October 2025, after China announced export controls on rare earths, he threatened to raise tariffs on China by 100%; he dropped the threat after meeting Xi Jinping in Busan on Oct. 30, when China agreed to pause the controls for one year. Before that meeting he called Xi \"an old friend,\" and afterward he rated it a 12 out of 10. In September 2026, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries had agreed to extend their trade truce through Jan. 10.", "sources": [ { "title": "Interview: Joe Kernen of CNBC Interviews Donald Trump on 'Squawk Box' - March 11, 2024", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-interview-joe-kernen-cnbc-squawk-box-march-11-2024/", "date": "2024-03-11" }, { "title": "Trump cuts fentanyl tariffs on China to 10% as Beijing delays latest rare earths curbs by a year", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/30/trump-cuts-fentanyl-tariffs-on-china-to-10percent-says-us-reached-rare-earths-deal-.html", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "Trump-Xi summit: Leaders meet at White House amid tensions over Taiwan, trade and AI", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/trump-xi-summit-meet-white-house-tensions-taiwan-trade-ai-rcna598073", "date": "2026-09-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-mexico-car-plants-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "Chinese car plants in Mexico", "title": "Threatens 100% tariff on cars from Chinese plants in Mexico", "quote": "Let me tell you something to China. If you're listening, President Xi, and you and I are friends, but he understands the way I deal, those big monster car manufacturing plants that you're building in Mexico right now, and you think you're going to get that, you're going to not hire Americans and you're going to sell the cars to us, we're going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you're not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected.", "date": "2024-03-16", "venue": "Rally in Vandalia, Ohio", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "His next words were: \"Now, if I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath.\" He added that Chinese companies could build plants in Michigan, Ohio or South Carolina using American workers. BYD, which said in February 2024 it was considering a factory in Mexico, halted its site search later that year and put the plan on hold in July 2025, citing geopolitical uncertainty. In January 2026 Trump said at the Detroit Economic Club that he would welcome Chinese automakers manufacturing in the U.S.; as of May 2026 Chinese automakers faced 100% U.S. tariffs and had no retail presence in the country, CNBC reported.", "sources": [ { "title": "Speech: Donald Trump Holds a Political Rally in Vandalia, Ohio - March 16, 2024", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-political-rally-vandalia-ohio-march-16-2024/", "date": "2024-03-16" }, { "title": "BYD suspends plans to build major car plant in Mexico over geopolitical tensions, report says", "outlet": "CnEVPost", "url": "https://cnevpost.com/2025/07/03/byd-suspends-plans-car-plant-mexico/", "date": "2025-07-03" }, { "title": "Chinese parts are already in U.S. cars as lawmakers warn Trump against China auto deal", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/14/trump-china-chinese-autos.html", "date": "2026-05-14" } ] }, { "id": "china-migrants-building-army-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Chinese migrants", "title": "Says Chinese migrants crossing the border are probably building an army", "quote": "No, they're probably building an army. They're probably building an army from within. I mean, you look at what's happening, because they're very healthy young men for the most part. And it's up to over 30,000 now.", "date": "2024-04-04", "venue": "Interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show (radio)", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "immigration", "what_happened": "U.S. authorities arrested more than 37,000 Chinese nationals at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2023. The Associated Press reported in May 2024 that there was no evidence the migrants had tried to mount a military force, and that Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell called them \"economic migrants.\" PolitiFact found that Customs and Border Protection does not release age or gender data on migrants and found no evidence they were coming at the direction of China's military. He repeated the claim on Oct. 22, 2024, in Greensboro, North Carolina, saying 70,000 Chinese migrants was \"getting to be army territory.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Interview: Hugh Hewitt Interviews Donald Trump on His Syndicated Radio Show - April 4, 2024", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-interview-hugh-hewitt-radio-april-4-2024/", "date": "2024-04-04" }, { "title": "Trump suggests Chinese migrants are in the US to build an ‘army,’ but they tell another story", "outlet": "BorderReport (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.borderreport.com/news/politics/trump-suggests-chinese-migrants-are-in-the-us-to-build-an-army-but-they-tell-another-story/", "date": "2024-05-13" }, { "title": "As Chinese immigration to U.S. rises, Republicans and Trump use ‘military age men’ scare tactic", "outlet": "PolitiFact", "url": "https://www.politifact.com/article/2024/feb/07/as-chinese-immigration-to-us-rises-republicans-and/", "date": "2024-02-07" }, { "title": "Remarks at a Campaign Rally in Greensboro, North Carolina", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-campaign-rally-greensboro-north-carolina-0", "date": "2024-10-22" } ] }, { "id": "china-could-bombard-taiwan-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Taiwan defense", "title": "Says China could bombard Taiwan and Taiwan should pay the U.S. for defense", "quote": "I think, Taiwan should pay us for defense. You know, we're no different than an insurance company. Taiwan doesn't give us anything. Taiwan is 9,500 miles away. It's 68 miles away from China. A slight advantage, and China's a massive piece of land, they could just bombard it.", "date": "2024-06-25", "venue": "Interview with Bloomberg Businessweek at Mar-a-Lago (published July 16, 2024)", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "He was asked whether he would defend Taiwan against China. In the same answer he said China had been \"very aggressive\" since he left office and had \"ships all over the place,\" and that Taiwan \"took our chip business from us.\" NBC News reported in September 2026 that he had described a pending $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan as a potential \"negotiating chip\" with Xi Jinping, whom he hosted for a state visit that month.", "sources": [ { "title": "Interview: Bloomberg Businessweek Editors and Reporters Interview Donald Trump - July 16, 2024", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-interview-bloomberg-businessweek-july-16-2024/", "date": "2024-07-16" }, { "title": "Trump-Xi summit: Leaders meet at White House amid tensions over Taiwan, trade and AI", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/trump-xi-summit-meet-white-house-tensions-taiwan-trade-ai-rcna598073", "date": "2026-09-23" } ] }, { "id": "china-going-to-own-us-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit", "title": "Says in debate that China is going to own the United States", "quote": "But he's got the largest deficit in the history of our country and he's got the worst situation with China. China is going to own us if you keep allowing them to do what they're doing to us as a country. They are killing us as a country, Joe, and you can't let that happen.", "date": "2024-06-27", "venue": "CNN presidential debate with Joe Biden, Atlanta, Georgia", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Moments earlier he said \"we have the largest deficit with China.\" Census Bureau data show the U.S. goods trade deficit with China was $279.6 billion in 2023, the smallest since 2010 and below the $418.2 billion peak of 2018. It was $297.0 billion in 2024 and $202.7 billion in 2025. In September 2026 he hosted Xi Jinping for a state visit, and the two governments extended their trade truce into January 2027.", "sources": [ { "title": "Presidential Debate in Atlanta, Georgia", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/presidential-debate-atlanta-georgia", "date": "2024-06-27" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" }, { "title": "U.S. and China release product lists for tariff cuts after Trump-Xi meeting", "outlet": "PBS News (Associated Press)", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-s-and-china-release-product-lists-for-tariff-cuts-after-trump-xi-meeting", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-800-billion-deficit-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit", "title": "Says the U.S. had deficits of up to $800 billion with China and now has its highest ever", "quote": "We had five, six, seven -- 800 billion deficit with China, just alone with China. And today, it was announced. We have the highest deficit we've ever had, almost $2 trillion. Think of that. We have almost two -- and we have the highest deficit we've ever had with -- with China, and that won't last long.", "date": "2024-10-10", "venue": "Speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Detroit, Michigan", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau data show the annual U.S. goods trade deficit with China peaked at $418.2 billion in 2018. It was $279.6 billion in 2023 and $297.0 billion in 2024, the year of the speech. In the same speech he called China \"the biggest abuser\" on trade and also said, \"I think we'll get along with China.\" The deficit was $202.7 billion in 2025, and $91.2 billion for the first seven months of 2026.", "sources": [ { "title": "Speech: Donald Trump Addresses the Detroit Economic Club - October 10, 2024", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-detroit-economic-club-october-10-2024/", "date": "2024-10-10" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09-28" } ] }, { "id": "china-fentanyl-tariff-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "fentanyl tariff", "title": "Announces an additional 10% tariff on China over fentanyl", "quote": "Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before. Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America.", "date": "2024-11-25", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "In early 2025 he imposed fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods that totaled 20% by the time of the May 12, 2025 truce, which left them in place. After meeting Xi Jinping on Oct. 30, 2025, he cut them to 10%, effective Nov. 10, 2025, and the White House said China would stop shipments of certain designated chemicals to North America. On Feb. 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Learning Resources v. Trump that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the law used for those tariffs, does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.", "sources": [ { "title": "Donald J. Trump: \"I have had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in part...", "outlet": "Trump's Truth (Truth Social archive)", "url": "https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/28356", "date": "2024-11-25" }, { "title": "U.S. and China announce deal to temporarily cut tariffs", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/nx-s1-5395027/us-china-tariffs-deal-trade-war-beijing-washington", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The White House", "url": "https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/11/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-on-economic-and-trade-relations-with-china/", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "Supreme Court strikes down tariffs", "outlet": "SCOTUSblog", "url": "https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/02/supreme-court-strikes-down-tariffs/", "date": "2026-02-20" } ] }, { "id": "china-panama-canal-soldiers-2024", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Panama Canal", "title": "Says soldiers of China are illegally operating the Panama Canal", "quote": "Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in “repair” money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about “anything.”", "date": "2024-12-25", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "campaign-2024", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Panama's president, José Raúl Mulino, said the next day: \"There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal, for the love of God.\" On Jan. 7, 2025, Trump said \"China is running the Panama Canal\" and declined to rule out military force to take control of it. A subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison had operated ports at both ends of the canal since 1997. Panama's Supreme Court ruled that concession unconstitutional on Jan. 29, 2026, and on Feb. 23, 2026, Panama transferred interim operation of the two terminals to units of Maersk and MSC.", "sources": [ { "title": "Donald J. Trump: \"Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who ar...", "outlet": "Trump's Truth (Truth Social archive)", "url": "https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/28795", "date": "2024-12-25" }, { "title": "Panama’s president rejects Trump’s claim of Chinese interference at canal", "outlet": "FreightWaves", "url": "https://www.freightwaves.com/news/panamas-president-rejects-trumps-claim-of-chinese-interference-at-canal", "date": "2024-12-27" }, { "title": "Press Conference: Donald Trump Holds a Media Event at Mar-a-Lago - January 7, 2025", "outlet": "Roll Call Factba.se", "url": "https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-conference-mar-a-lago-january-7-2025/", "date": "2025-01-07" }, { "title": "Hong Kong company’s concession to operate Panama Canal ports is ruled unconstitutional", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/30/world/hong-kong-panama-canal-ports-intl-hnk", "date": "2026-01-30" }, { "title": "Panama cancels China-linked port deal, hands canal terminals to Maersk, MSC", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/24/panama-officially-voids-annuls-ck-hutchison-contracts-interim-control-maersk-msc-canal-dispute.html", "date": "2026-02-24" } ] }, { "id": "china-operating-panama-canal-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Panama Canal", "title": "Said in his inaugural address that China was operating the Panama Canal", "quote": "And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back.", "date": "2025-01-20", "venue": "Inaugural address, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.", "era": "term-2", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Panama's government and the canal authority said China has no influence over the canal's operations; a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison had run the Balboa and Cristobal port terminals at either end of the canal since 1997. After Trump's statements, CK Hutchison negotiated a $23 billion sale of its non-Chinese port assets to a BlackRock-led consortium, which stalled after Beijing objected. Panama's Supreme Court ruled the port concession unconstitutional on January 29, 2026, and on February 23, 2026 Panama annulled the contracts and handed interim operation of the two terminals to units of Maersk and MSC. On July 8, 2026 Trump said, \"China's tried to take over the Panama Canal, and that's not going to happen.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Inaugural Address", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/inaugural-address-54", "date": "2025-01-20" }, { "title": "Hong Kong company's concession to operate Panama Canal ports is ruled unconstitutional", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/30/world/hong-kong-panama-canal-ports-intl-hnk", "date": "2026-01-30" }, { "title": "Panama cancels China-linked port deal, hands canal terminals to Maersk, MSC", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/24/panama-officially-voids-annuls-ck-hutchison-contracts-interim-control-maersk-msc-canal-dispute.html", "date": "2026-02-23" }, { "title": "Remarks During a Greeting With Secretary General Mark Rutte of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and an Exchange With Reporters in Ankara, Turkey", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-during-greeting-with-secretary-general-mark-rutte-the-north-atlantic-treaty", "date": "2026-07-08" } ] }, { "id": "china-occupying-bagram-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Bagram air base", "title": "Said China was occupying Bagram air base, one hour from its nuclear missile sites", "quote": "We were going to get out, but we were going to keep Bagram, not because of Afghanistan but because of China, because it's exactly 1 hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles. ... We gave it up. And you know who's occupying it right now? China. China. Biden gave it up.", "date": "2025-02-26", "venue": "Cabinet meeting, White House", "era": "term-2", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid answered days later that \"Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate [Taliban regime], not China. Chinese troops are not present here, nor do we have any such pact with any country.\" Trump repeated the claim, saying on July 8, 2025 that the base \"right now is controlled by China.\" In September 2025 he demanded the base back; Al Jazeera reported on September 21, 2025 that the Taliban rejected the demand, and that the site Trump referred to was likely China's Lop Nur testing range in Xinjiang.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks Prior to and during a Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-prior-and-during-cabinet-meeting-and-exchange-with-reporters", "date": "2025-02-26" }, { "title": "Taliban refute Trump's claim of Chinese control over Afghan base", "outlet": "Voice of America", "url": "https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-refute-trump-s-claim-of-chinese-control-over-afghan-base-as-emotional-/7994356.html", "date": "2025-03-02" }, { "title": "Remarks Following a Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-following-cabinet-meeting-and-exchange-with-reporters-27", "date": "2025-07-08" }, { "title": "Afghan Taliban rejects Trump threats over taking back Bagram airbase", "outlet": "Al Jazeera", "url": "https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/21/afghan-taliban-rejects-trump-threats-over-taking-back-bagram-airbase", "date": "2025-09-21" } ] }, { "id": "china-fentanyl-made-and-supplied-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "fentanyl tariffs", "title": "Said fentanyl was made in and supplied by China and added a second 10% tariff", "quote": "Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China. More than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive POISONS.", "date": "2025-02-27", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "An executive order signed March 3, 2025 raised the fentanyl-related duty on Chinese goods from 10 percent to 20 percent. After the October 30, 2025 Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, Trump cut it back to 10 percent effective November 10, 2025, citing China's commitment to stop shipments of certain precursor chemicals to North America. On February 20, 2026 the Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose tariffs, and Trump signed an order the same day ending the duties. A September 25, 2026 White House fact sheet said China had arrested 21 people in August 2026 for supplying precursor chemicals and that the United States was still \"strongly encouraging the permanent scheduling\" of fentanyl precursors.", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of February 27, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-february-27-2025", "date": "2025-02-27" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14228—Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People's Republic of China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14228-further-amendment-duties-addressing-the-synthetic-opioid-supply", "date": "2025-03-03" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14357—Modifying Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People's Republic of China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14357-modifying-duties-addressing-the-synthetic-opioid-supply-chain-the", "date": "2025-11-04" }, { "title": "24-1287 Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (02/20/2026)", "outlet": "Supreme Court of the United States", "url": "https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1287_4gcj.pdf", "date": "2026-02-20" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14389—Ending Certain Tariff Actions", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14389-ending-certain-tariff-actions", "date": "2026-02-20" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances a Fair and Reciprocal Relationship with China While Hosting Historic State Visit", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-advances-fair-and-reciprocal-relationship", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-played-it-wrong-panicked-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "retaliatory tariffs", "title": "Said China \"played it wrong\" and \"panicked\" by retaliating against his tariffs", "quote": "CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!", "date": "2025-04-04", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The post came the day China announced a 34 percent tariff on all U.S. goods in response to Trump's April 2 tariff order. Trump raised the added duty on Chinese goods from 34 to 84 percent on April 8, China announced an 84 percent tariff on U.S. goods on April 9, and Trump raised the U.S. rate to 125 percent the same day. In a joint statement issued May 12, 2025 after talks in Geneva, both governments agreed to remove the April 8 and 9 increases and suspend 24 percentage points of the remaining rate for 90 days, leaving a 10 percent additional duty on each side.", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of April 4, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-april-4-2025", "date": "2025-04-04" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14259—Amendment to Reciprocal Tariffs and Updated Duties as Applied to Low-Value Imports From the People's Republic of China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14259-amendment-reciprocal-tariffs-and-updated-duties-applied-low-value", "date": "2025-04-08" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14266—Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates To Reflect Trading Partner Retaliation and Alignment", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14266-modifying-reciprocal-tariff-rates-reflect-trading-partner", "date": "2025-04-09" }, { "title": "Joint Statement Between the United States and China on Trade Negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/joint-statement-between-the-united-states-and-china-trade-negotiations-geneva-switzerland", "date": "2025-05-12" } ] }, { "id": "china-manipulating-currency-offset-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "currency manipulation", "title": "Said China was manipulating its currency to offset his tariffs", "quote": "Today it was announced that China is reducing its currency. Did you see that? Big. Big. In other words, they're going to make up for it. They got every trick in the book. I'll tell you, they are great. You've got to hand it to them. You've got to hand it to them. They've—they're manipulating their currency today as an offset against the tariffs.", "date": "2025-04-08", "venue": "National Republican Congressional Committee dinner, Washington, D.C.", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The Treasury Department's June 2025 foreign exchange report named no country a currency manipulator. Its next report, released January 29, 2026 and covering the four quarters through June 2025, again concluded that no major trading partner had manipulated its currency and stated that \"Treasury has not designated China as a currency manipulator in this Report.\" The same report kept China on its monitoring list and said China \"stands out among our major trading partners in its lack of transparency around its exchange rate policies and practices.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-national-republican-congressional-committee-dinner-3", "date": "2025-04-08" }, { "title": "Ten Key Takeaways From Treasury's Foreign Exchange Report", "outlet": "Council on Foreign Relations", "url": "https://www.cfr.org/articles/takeaways-treasury-foreign-exchange-report", "date": "2025-06-10" }, { "title": "Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States", "outlet": "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "url": "https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0373", "date": "2026-01-29" } ] }, { "id": "china-lack-of-respect-125-percent-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "125% tariff", "title": "Raised the China tariff to 125%, citing its \"lack of respect\" and \"ripping off the U.S.A.\"", "quote": "Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.", "date": "2025-04-09", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Under the May 12, 2025 Geneva joint statement, the United States agreed to remove the 125 percent rate by May 14 and keep a 10 percent reciprocal duty on Chinese goods. After the October 30, 2025 Busan meeting the White House said that suspension would run until November 10, 2026. On February 20, 2026 the Supreme Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize tariffs; Trump ordered the duties ended that day, and the order noted a separate temporary import surcharge proclaimed the same day. Census Bureau data put the U.S. goods deficit with China at $202.7 billion in 2025, down from $297.0 billion in 2024.", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of April 9, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-april-9-2025", "date": "2025-04-09" }, { "title": "Joint Statement Between the United States and China on Trade Negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/joint-statement-between-the-united-states-and-china-trade-negotiations-geneva-switzerland", "date": "2025-05-12" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "24-1287 Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (02/20/2026)", "outlet": "Supreme Court of the United States", "url": "https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1287_4gcj.pdf", "date": "2026-02-20" }, { "title": "Executive Order 14389—Ending Certain Tariff Actions", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14389-ending-certain-tariff-actions", "date": "2026-02-20" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09" } ] }, { "id": "china-hostile-trading-nation-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "electronics supply chain", "title": "Called China a hostile trading nation that would not be allowed to hold the U.S. hostage", "quote": "What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the United States, and that we will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American People. We also cannot let them continue to abuse us on Trade, like they have for decades, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!", "date": "2025-04-13", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "On June 11, 2025 Trump posted that \"OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE,\" that China would supply magnets and rare earths up front, and that the \"RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT!\" On December 8, 2025 he announced that the United States would allow Nvidia to ship its H200 chips to approved customers in China, with 25 percent to be paid to the United States, and said the same approach would apply to AMD and Intel. At his May 2026 summit with Xi in Beijing, the two governments chartered a U.S.-China Board of Trade and a U.S.-China Board of Investment.", "featured": true, "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of April 13, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-april-13-2025", "date": "2025-04-13" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of June 11, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-june-11-2025", "date": "2025-06-11" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of December 8, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-december-8-2025", "date": "2025-12-08" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Historic Deals with China, Delivering for American Workers, Farmers, and Industry", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-deals-with-china", "date": "2026-05-17" } ] }, { "id": "china-chief-ripper-offer-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "trade deficit", "title": "Called China the leading candidate for \"chief ripper-offer\" of the United States", "quote": "We've been ripped off by every country in the world. But China, I would say, is the leading—the leading one—the leading candidate for the chief ripper-offer.", "date": "2025-04-30", "venue": "Cabinet meeting, White House", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau data show the U.S. goods deficit with China fell from $297.0 billion in 2024 to $202.7 billion in 2025, as imports from China dropped from $440.3 billion to $308.7 billion and U.S. exports to China fell from $143.3 billion to $106.0 billion. The deficit for January through July 2026 was $91.2 billion. On May 27, 2026, after his state visit to Beijing, Trump said, \"For years and years, they ripped us off like nobody ever got ripped off,\" and added that \"now it's very profitable business that we do with China, and they respect our country again.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks Prior to a Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-prior-cabinet-meeting-and-exchange-with-reporters-12", "date": "2025-04-30" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09" }, { "title": "Remarks in Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-cabinet-meeting-and-exchange-with-reporters-16", "date": "2026-05-27" } ] }, { "id": "china-totally-violated-agreement-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "Geneva trade truce", "title": "Said China had \"totally violated\" the trade truce reached 18 days earlier", "quote": "The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!", "date": "2025-05-30", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "The post did not say what China had violated. On June 5, 2025 Trump reported a call with Xi of about an hour and a half and wrote, \"There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products.\" After negotiators met in London, he posted on June 11 that \"OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE,\" with China to supply magnets and rare earths up front, and that the \"RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT!\" On August 11, 2025 he signed an order extending the tariff suspension for another 90 days.", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of May 30, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-may-30-2025", "date": "2025-05-30" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of June 5, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-june-5-2025", "date": "2025-06-05" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of June 11, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-june-11-2025", "date": "2025-06-11" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of August 11, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-august-11-2025", "date": "2025-08-11" } ] }, { "id": "china-conspire-against-us-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Beijing military parade", "title": "Accused Xi of conspiring against the United States with Putin and Kim Jong Un", "quote": "May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.", "date": "2025-09-02", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump), as Xi hosted Putin and Kim at a military parade in Beijing", "era": "term-2", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov replied that \"no one was plotting any conspiracies.\" Trump spoke with Xi by phone on September 19, 2025 and called the call \"very productive.\" After meeting Xi in Busan on October 30, 2025 he rated the meeting \"a 12\" on a scale of 0 to 10, and on November 1 wrote that his \"G2 meeting\" with Xi \"will lead to everlasting peace and success.\" He made a state visit to Beijing in May 2026 and hosted Xi for a state visit in Washington in September 2026, where a White House fact sheet said the two leaders \"recalled that United States and China were allies in World War II.\"", "featured": true, "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of September 2, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-september-2-2025", "date": "2025-09-02" }, { "title": "Trump accuses Putin, Kim and Xi of conspiring against the U.S. at China military parade", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/world/china/trump-accuses-putin-kim-xi-conspiring-us-china-military-parade-rcna228723", "date": "2025-09-03" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of September 19, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-september-19-2025", "date": "2025-09-19" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of November 1, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-november-1-2025", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances a Fair and Reciprocal Relationship with China While Hosting Historic State Visit", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-advances-fair-and-reciprocal-relationship", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-primary-funder-ukraine-war-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "Russian oil purchases", "title": "Told the UN that China and India were the primary funders of Russia's war in Ukraine", "quote": "China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil.", "date": "2025-09-23", "venue": "Address to the United Nations General Assembly, New York City", "era": "term-2", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "Ten days earlier Trump had urged NATO members to place 50 to 100 percent tariffs on China, writing that \"China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia.\" On October 25, 2025 he said China was \"cutting back very substantially on the purchase of Russia oil.\" After meeting Xi in Busan on October 30, he said of China's Russian oil purchases, \"There's not a lot more we can do,\" and that the two \"didn't really discuss the oil.\" The White House fact sheet on the Busan deal, issued November 1, 2025, does not mention Russian oil.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-united-nations-general-assembly-new-york-city-20", "date": "2025-09-23" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of September 13, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-september-13-2025", "date": "2025-09-13" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters at Al Udeid Air Base in Al Rayyan, Qatar", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-al-udeid-air-base-al-rayyan-qatar", "date": "2025-10-25" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" } ] }, { "id": "china-rare-earths-sinister-hostile-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "rare earth export controls", "title": "Called China's rare-earth export controls \"sinister and hostile\" and threatened a 100% tariff", "quote": "Some very strange things are happening in China! They are becoming very hostile, and sending letters to Countries throughout the World, that they want to impose Export Controls on each and every element of production having to do with Rare Earths, and virtually anything else they can think of, even if it's not manufactured in China. ... There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the World \"captive,\" but that seems to have been their plan for quite some time, starting with the \"Magnets\" and, other Elements that they have quietly amassed into somewhat of a Monopoly position, a rather sinister and hostile move, to say the least.", "date": "2025-10-10", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Later the same day Trump announced a 100 percent additional tariff on Chinese goods and export controls on critical software, both to start November 1, 2025. Two days later he posted, \"Don't worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment.\" After the October 30 Busan meeting the White House said China would suspend the controls it announced on October 9, and Trump said the overall tariff on Chinese goods had gone from 57 percent to 47 percent. A September 25, 2026 White House fact sheet said the two countries \"continue to work on U.S. concerns regarding supply chain shortages related to rare earths and other critical minerals.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of October 10, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-october-10-2025", "date": "2025-10-10" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of October 12, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-october-12-2025", "date": "2025-10-12" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances a Fair and Reciprocal Relationship with China While Hosting Historic State Visit", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-advances-fair-and-reciprocal-relationship", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-soybeans-economically-hostile-act-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "soybean purchases", "title": "Called China's halt in U.S. soybean purchases an \"Economically Hostile Act\"", "quote": "I believe that China purposefully not buying our Soybeans, and causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act. We are considering terminating business with China having to do with Cooking Oil, and other elements of Trade, as retribution.", "date": "2025-10-14", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Under the Busan deal, the White House said on November 1, 2025 that China would buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans in the last two months of 2025 and at least 25 million tons in each of 2026, 2027 and 2028. Reuters reported on January 20, 2026 that China had bought about 12 million tons, against a deadline U.S. officials by then described as the end of February; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, \"They did everything they said they were going to do.\" On February 4, 2026 Trump said China was considering raising its current-season purchases to 20 million tons. At the May 2026 Beijing summit China committed to buy at least $17 billion a year of other U.S. agricultural products through 2028.", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of October 14, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-october-14-2025", "date": "2025-10-14" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strikes Deal on Economic and Trade Relations with China", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-economic-and-trade-relations", "date": "2025-11-01" }, { "title": "China Reaches 12 Million Ton US Soybean Purchase Pledge", "outlet": "Farm Policy News (University of Illinois)", "url": "https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2026/01/china-reaches-12-million-ton-us-soybean-purchase-pledge/", "date": "2026-01-20" }, { "title": "China buys all 12 million tons of soybeans it promised, just in time for Trump to announce new tariffs", "outlet": "Fortune", "url": "https://fortune.com/2026/01/21/china-buys-all-12-million-tons-of-soybeans-it-promised-just-in-time-for-trump-to-announce-new-tariffs/", "date": "2026-01-21" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of February 4, 2026", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-february-4-2026", "date": "2026-02-04" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Historic Deals with China, Delivering for American Workers, Farmers, and Industry", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-deals-with-china", "date": "2026-05-17" } ] }, { "id": "china-built-military-with-our-money-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "both", "subject": "trade deficit and military", "title": "Said the U.S. built China's military with money lost on trade", "quote": "For years, they were making $5-, $6-, $700 billion—$700 billion—and we'd be making nothing. It was a one-sided—honestly, it—we built their military. We built China's military with the money that we lost for so many years getting ripped off.", "date": "2025-10-21", "venue": "Lunch with Republican senators, Rose Garden, White House", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Census Bureau data show the U.S. goods deficit with China peaked at $418.2 billion in 2018, the same year total goods imports from China reached $538.5 billion; the deficit was $202.7 billion in 2025. Nine days after the remark Trump met Xi in Busan and rated the meeting \"a 12\" on a scale of 0 to 10. On May 20, 2026, days after his state visit to Beijing, he said of Xi, \"he respects our military tremendously.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks at a Lunch With Republican Senators", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-lunch-with-republican-senators", "date": "2025-10-21" }, { "title": "Trade in Goods with China", "outlet": "U.S. Census Bureau", "url": "https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html", "date": "2026-09" }, { "title": "Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One En Route to Anchorage, Alaska", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-and-exchange-with-reporters-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-anchorage-alaska", "date": "2025-10-30" }, { "title": "Commencement Address at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/commencement-address-the-united-states-coast-guard-academy-new-london-connecticut-6", "date": "2026-05-20" } ] }, { "id": "china-nuclear-even-within-five-years-2025", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "nuclear arsenal", "title": "Said China's nuclear arsenal would equal the U.S. within five years and ordered weapons testing", "quote": "Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.", "date": "2025-10-29", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump), shortly before meeting Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea", "era": "term-2", "category": "veterans", "what_happened": "CNN reported that China's last known nuclear test was in 1996 and the last U.S. test in 1992, and cited a Pentagon report that China may have 1,000 warheads by the end of the decade, compared with some 6,000 for Russia and nearly that many for the United States. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on November 2, 2025 that the planned tests \"are not nuclear explosions\" but \"noncritical explosions.\" At a May 13, 2026 Senate hearing Wright said the stockpile had again been certified as reliable through nonexplosive testing and that a decision on an explosive test \"comes down to the Commander-in-Chief.\" The White House fact sheet on Xi's September 2026 state visit said Trump \"advocated for trilateral arms control negotiations between the United States, Russia, and China.\"", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of October 29, 2025", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-october-29-2025", "date": "2025-10-29" }, { "title": "Trump instructs Pentagon to start testing nuclear weapons 'on an equal basis' with Russia and China", "outlet": "CNN", "url": "https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/29/politics/nuclear-weapons-testing-trump-china-russia-intl-hnk", "date": "2025-10-29" }, { "title": "Trump's nuclear weapons tests will involve 'noncritical explosions,' not atomic blasts, energy secretary says", "outlet": "Fortune", "url": "https://fortune.com/2025/11/02/trump-nuclear-weapons-tests-noncritical-explosions-energy-secretary", "date": "2025-11-02" }, { "title": "VIDEO: Rosen Pushes Energy Secretary to Admit Explosive Nuclear Testing is Not Needed", "outlet": "Office of U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen", "url": "https://www.rosen.senate.gov/2026/05/13/video-rosen-pushes-energy-secretary-to-admit-explosive-nuclear-testing-is-not-needed/", "date": "2026-05-13" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances a Fair and Reciprocal Relationship with China While Hosting Historic State Visit", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-advances-fair-and-reciprocal-relationship", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] }, { "id": "china-destroyers-greenland-2026", "kind": "china", "threat": "military", "subject": "Greenland", "title": "Said Chinese destroyers were off Greenland and China or Russia would occupy it", "quote": "But we need that, because if you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers. There are Chinese destroyers and bigger. There are Russian submarines all over the place. We're not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that's what they're going to do if we don't.", "date": "2026-01-09", "venue": "Meeting with oil and gas executives, White House", "era": "term-2", "category": "foreign-policy", "what_happened": "CBS News reported that Greenland's minister of business, Naaja Nathanielsen, said she was \"not aware\" of any Russian or Chinese ships or submarines around Greenland, and that public ship-tracking data showed no Russian- or Chinese-flagged commercial vessels there. On January 17, 2026 Trump wrote that \"China and Russia want Greenland\" and announced tariffs of 10 percent, rising to 25 percent on June 1, on eight European countries until a deal for the \"Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.\" On January 21 he said he would not impose the tariffs, citing a \"framework of a future deal\" reached with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.", "sources": [ { "title": "Remarks During a Meeting With Executives of Oil and Gas Companies and an Exchange With Reporters", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-during-meeting-with-executives-oil-and-gas-companies-and-exchange-with-reporters", "date": "2026-01-09" }, { "title": "Trump repeats false or exaggerated claims about Greenland as he pushes for U.S. ownership", "outlet": "CBS News", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-repeats-false-or-exaggerated-claims-about-greenland/", "date": "2026-01-21" }, { "title": "Truth Social Posts of January 17, 2026", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-january-17-2026", "date": "2026-01-17" }, { "title": "Trump pauses Greenland-linked tariffs on 8 European countries", "outlet": "NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-pauses-greenland-tariffs-rcna255270", "date": "2026-01-21" } ] }, { "id": "china-eat-canada-alive-2026", "kind": "china", "threat": "economic", "subject": "Canada-China trade deal", "title": "Said China would \"eat Canada alive\" and threatened a 100% tariff over a Canada-China deal", "quote": "If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a \"Drop Off Port\" for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken. China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life. If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.", "date": "2026-01-24", "venue": "Post on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump)", "era": "term-2", "category": "trade", "what_happened": "Eight days earlier, asked about the agreement Canada had just signed in Beijing, Trump said, \"it's a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that.\" That agreement lowered Canadian tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in return for lower Chinese import taxes on Canadian farm products. Prime Minister Mark Carney said on January 25 that Canada had \"no intention\" of pursuing a free trade deal with China. In May 2026 Trump made his own state visit to Beijing, where the White House announced Chinese purchase commitments and new U.S.-China boards of trade and investment.", "sources": [ { "title": "Truth Social Posts of January 24, 2026", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/truth-social-posts-january-24-2026", "date": "2026-01-24" }, { "title": "Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to Departure for Palm Beach, Florida", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-exchange-with-reporters-prior-departure-for-palm-beach-florida-1", "date": "2026-01-16" }, { "title": "Trump threatens Canada with 100% tariffs over China trade deal", "outlet": "NPR", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2026/01/24/nx-s1-5687236/canada-china-tariffs-trump", "date": "2026-01-24" }, { "title": "Carney says Canada not pursuing free trade deal with China as Trump threatens 100% tariffs", "outlet": "CNBC", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/26/canada-china-trade-deal-tariffs-trump.html", "date": "2026-01-25" }, { "title": "White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Historic Deals with China, Delivering for American Workers, Farmers, and Industry", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-deals-with-china", "date": "2026-05-17" } ] }, { "id": "china-voter-files-compromise-2026", "kind": "china", "threat": "other", "subject": "voter registration data", "title": "Said China illicitly acquired 220 million U.S. voter files", "quote": "First, they show that over a period of years, starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People's Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China's illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files.", "date": "2026-07-16", "venue": "Address to the nation on election reforms, White House", "era": "term-2", "category": "elections", "what_happened": "FactCheck.org reported that state voter files are mostly publicly available, with most states placing no restrictions on who can buy them, and that an April 2020 intelligence assessment, declassified in October 2022, had already said Chinese intelligence officials analyzed state voter registration data. PBS News reported that one of the released documents said the data \"is publicly available for download from the commercial websites.\" Nextgov/FCW reported that the documents do not show that China altered voter rolls, manipulated ballots or changed the outcome of the 2020 election. Two months later Trump hosted Xi for a state visit at the White House.", "sources": [ { "title": "Address to the Nation on Election Reforms", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-nation-election-reforms", "date": "2026-07-16" }, { "title": "FactChecking Trump's Election Security Speech", "outlet": "FactCheck.org", "url": "https://www.factcheck.org/2026/07/factchecking-trumps-election-security-speech/", "date": "2026-07-17" }, { "title": "Fact-checking Trump's address on China, the 2020 election and what documents show", "outlet": "PBS News", "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-trumps-address-on-china-the-2020-election-and-what-documents-show", "date": "2026-07-17" }, { "title": "Trump stretches declassified China intelligence into broader 2020 election claims", "outlet": "Nextgov/FCW", "url": "https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2026/07/trump-stretches-declassified-china-intelligence-broader-2020-election-claims/414837/", "date": "2026-07-16" }, { "title": "White House Press Release - President Trump, First Lady Conclude Historic China State Visit", "outlet": "The American Presidency Project", "url": "https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-press-release-president-trump-first-lady-conclude-historic-china-state-visit", "date": "2026-09-25" } ] } ]