Is President Donald Trump aligning the United States economically with China, Russia and North Korea, and reducing economic ties with our European allies? Trump’s tweet over the weekend is an indication this might be true.
On Sunday Trump tweeted:
“President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!”
President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!
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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2018
Why is he doing this? One thing for sure, many people have been quite critical of this move.
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff tweeted:
“Our intelligence agencies have warned that ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat. You should care more about our national security than Chinese jobs.”
Our intelligence agencies have warned that ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat. You should care more about our national security than Chinese jobs. https://t.co/7Ygh7805jg
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 13, 2018
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer posted a tweet that many people thought should be stronger:
“How about helping some American companies first?”
How about helping some American companies first? https://t.co/S1t2cQ4dwJ
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 13, 2018
Even Republican Senator Marco Rubio got in the act of criticizing Trump’s move:
“Problem with ZTE isn’t jobs & trade, it’s national security & espionage. Any telecomm firm in #China can be forced to act as tool of Chinese espionage without any court order or any other review process. We are crazy to allow them to operate in U.S. without tighter restrictions.”
Problem with ZTE isn’t jobs & trade, it’s national security & espionage. Any telecomm firm in #China can be forced to act as tool of Chinese espionage without any court order or any other review process. We are crazy to allow them to operate in U.S. without tighter restrictions https://t.co/AXtTDgufc9
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 14, 2018
So what’s going on? Some people think this is an intelligence breach that will make it easier for China to spy on U.S. interests. Kyle Griffin tweeted this:
“The heads of the NSA, FBI, and CIA are concerned that ZTE may be using their technology to spy on U.S. consumers.”
Trump’s actions are very concerning and it’s not clear why he is helping China keep 75,000 high paying jobs. Yesterday he posted a second tweet about China, which left many people scratching their heads. What is he talking about? Who knew Trump could be so enigmatic? What does he mean by saying “be cool?”
“China and the United States are working well together on trade, but past negotiations have been so one sided in favor of China, for so many years, that it is hard for them to make a deal that benefits both countries. But be cool, it will all work out!”
China and the United States are working well together on trade, but past negotiations have been so one sided in favor of China, for so many years, that it is hard for them to make a deal that benefits both countries. But be cool, it will all work out!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2018
This situation may indicate that Trump is actually aligning the U.S. more with China, despite his tough talk. His bluster may be designed to appeal to his political base instead of having any real effect.
It’s possible that most of Trump’s supporters are gullible enough to buy his tough China talk even though his actions show he is giving in to Chinese demands, just like he has given in to demands from Russia and North Korea. Everyone (except Trump’s supporters) knows that North Korea gets economic support from both China and Russia, so any actions Trump takes with respect to these countries must have something to do with his planned North Korea summit.
Many people in the U.S. are looking for high paying jobs but they are hard to find. Even low paying jobs in the retail sector are disappearing. Trump’s supporters from small towns and rural areas are being harmed by his policies (including his cutbacks in Medicaid and food stamps). But they don’t see it.
It is time that the American public is told what is going on with Trump’s capitulation to China in the ZTE deal. Saving Chinese jobs while hurting America’s national security should not be the top priority of the President of the United States. One again Donald Trump has shown that his actions don’t match his rhetoric, and he can’t be trusted.
I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.
