Florida Governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of China, noting that Trump’s rhetoric on China during the 2016 campaign differed from his actions in office.
DeSantis highlighted that Trump praised Chinese President Xi Jinping’s handling of COVID-19, despite China’s lack of transparency and cooperation.
DeSantis also mentioned Trump’s failure to hold China accountable for issues such as fentanyl. (Trending: FBI Bribery Probe Caught Joe Biden’s Brother On Tape)
“[H]e ran in 2016 with a very strong policy against China,” began DeSantis.
“He had talked about China ripping us off, he had talked about China getting away with building up [their] military,” he continued.
“And that was really a key thing,” recalled the Florida governor.
“And yet, when it came time to be President, he didn’t take the forceful action that he did,” lamented DeSantis.
“In fact, when COVID hit, which was really the time I think he could have marshaled a lot of support in America to have a stronger posture vis-a-vis China, he was praising Xi about how well Xi did with the virus early on,” contended DeSantis.
“But you and I both know China covered up what was going on. They weren’t helpful. They helped create a huge problem,” charged the presidential candidate.
“Not only did he praise him, he said, on behalf of the American people, we thank President Xi and China for their openness, when you had people in his own administration, like Matthew Pottinger, desperately trying to get information out of China because he knew they were lying to him,” added host Joe Scarborough.
DeSantis responded, “Yeah, and I think that part of what also was motivating was he wanted the trade deal.”
“He had done the phase one, that obviously has since broken down. But he really wanted the phase two. And so, I think it was striking a deal above all else.”
DeSantis emphasized a discrepancy between Trump’s 2016 campaign rhetoric against China and his actual approach to dealing with Xi Jinping.
“But the reality was, we were in a situation there where we absolutely should have taken more forceful action. And no one’s ever done anything to hold China accountable for their role in that,” criticized DeSantis.
Adding, “He didn’t do very much either to hold China accountable for their role in the fentanyl.”
“So, there is a difference in the rhetoric of the 2016 campaign vis-a-vis China and then how he actually dealt with Xi Jinping. And he does frequently say that it’s really impressive that Xi is able to rule over a billion people with an iron fist, I think he says,” concluded DeSantis.
Most Popular:
Joe Biden Impeachment Formalized As Republicans Unite
Democrat Excludes White People From Holiday Party In Controversial Email
Kid Rock Rages Against ‘Woke’ Target
