Senate Finance Chair Chuck Grassley says despite rising U.S. tensions with China, President Trump reassured him in a recent phone call that the Phase 1 trade deal with Beijing will continue. Grassley, whose committee covers trade, expressed his concern about trade during that call.
“My view to the president is how important trade is with China, and even though we have trouble with China now, between the World Health Organization and the lack of transparency on how they handled the virus, that, that shouldn’t interfere with trade.”
Grassley won’t say what the president said in “a private conversation,” but the Senator did say, “I was very satisfied with his answer, and I wouldn’t be satisfied with an answer if I didn’t feel like the president was going to maintain that trade agreement.”
President Trump had a press conference on Tuesday condemning China for its inaction against the virus, taking certain measures against them including withdrawing from the World Health Organization. He did not mention trade during the news conference.