PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Former President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid ongoing trade negotiations.
👥 Who’s Involved: Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and their respective administrations.
📍 Where & When: The conversation reportedly took place Thursday morning, per Chinese state media.
💬 Key Quote: “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!” – Donald Trump on Truth Social.
⚠️ Impact: The call may indicate some limited progress in U.S.-China trade talks.
IN FULL:
According to Chinese state media, President Donald J. Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday morning. The conversation comes as Trump continues to promote his tariff-driven approach to trade, which is pressuring foreign nations to engage in negotiations.
On Wednesday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to comment on his Chinese counterpart, writing, “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”
The call comes amid continued tensions between the United States and China over trade. President Trump and his administration have accused China of unfair trade practices and initially subjected the country to punishing tariffs. Last month, however, President Trump agreed to ease tariffs on China in a temporary truce.
However, just weeks later, President Trump accused China of violating the deal, despite the fact that many Chinese factories were on he verge of collapse before he offered the deal to assist Beijing. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” Trump stated.