‘Not nice’ China has targeted US farmers, Trump tells rally as he considers doubling tariffs on Chinese goods
‘The days of plundering American jobs and American wealth, those days are over’
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a defiant defence of his trade policies, praising American farmers for weathering Chinese tariffs and telling a crowd at a rally for Republican candidates that “the days of plundering American jobs and American wealth, those days are over”.
Trump’s remarks at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall came one week after his administration announced that it is preparing a US$12 billion emergency aid package for farmers who have been caught in his escalating trade war with China and other countries.
They also come as his administration considers more than doubling its planned tariffs on US$200 billion in Chinese imports, ratcheting up pressure on Beijing to return to the negotiating table.
“China and others have targeted our farmers,” he said.
“Not good. Not nice. And you know what our farmers are saying? ‘It’s OK. We can take it’.”
Trump argued that previous administrations had allowed the United States to “truly get ripped off, but we’re not going to let that happen.”