During a recent interview, President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about whether Chinese President Xi Jinping fully agreed with his stance on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. This issue has been a primary justification for Trump’s actions regarding Iran.
The interview, conducted by Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, took place shortly after Trump’s meetings with President Xi in Beijing. It aired on Hannity’s show on Thursday night. Trump described his meeting with Xi as amicable, referring to the Chinese leader as a friend. However, he acknowledged that Xi was not forthcoming when asked if he shared Trump’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“He’s a pretty cool guy,” Trump commented, suggesting that Xi is not one to openly concede points during discussions. When Hannity pressed further, Trump speculated, “I think he did,” when asked if Xi agreed with his views.
In an unexpected turn during the interview, Trump took the opportunity to criticize former Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. He also unveiled a new nickname for their party, breaking the traditional protocol where presidents refrain from targeting domestic political opponents while on foreign soil.
When Hannity asked Trump if he thought Xi agreed with him, Trump said, ‘I think he did.’
Despite Presidents historically avoiding domestic political hits while abroad, Trump also took time during the interview to slam Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden – and reveal the new nickname he had for their party.
‘I came up with a new name,’ Trump said, adding that he wasn’t sure if he should share it.
He then did.
‘Dumacrats,’ he said. ‘Because they’re dumb, they’re dumb. It’s d-u-m. I got rid of the B. So, you’re only changing one letter, right? E goes and the U comes.’
President Donald Trump sat down with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity after his meetings Thursday in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping
Hannity had a laugh about it.
‘You know you take up more space in people’s heads than any one person on the face of this Earth, right? You live rent-free,’ the Fox News host responded.
Hannity had started out the interview by suggesting Trump had gotten a much more lavish welcome than Obama, the last President to visit China before Trump’s 2017 trip. Biden met with Xi several times and visited other Asian nations, but skipped a China trip.
The President said that’s because ‘there’s no doubt about … we just have a good relationship.’
‘Well, I mean, if I got out of the plane and nobody was there to greet me, I would say that wouldn’t be so cool,’ Trump said.
The President then lavished praise on the Chinese leader, calling him ‘tall,’ ‘especially for this country because they tend to be a little shorter,’ and suggested Hollywood couldn’t cast someone better than Xi.
But when pressed about what Xi might do to help the United States, Trump didn’t yet have definitive answers.
He’s set to meet with Xi again Friday, before departing for Washington.
Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity pressed President Donald Trump on whether Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed that Iran shouldn’t have a nuclear weapon, the basis for the current US war
When Hannity asked the President if he thought the Chinese may be able to influence the Iranians ‘considering they are one of their biggest customers,’ Trump answered with a shrug.
‘Yeah, probably, but umm, look, he’s not coming in with guns, he’s not coming in with weapons, they’re not coming in shooting,’ Trump answered.
He answered similarly when Hannity prodded Trump on China’s support for Iran.
‘I mean, when you say support, they’re not fighting a war with us or anything,’ Trump replied. ‘He said he’s not going to give military equipment, that’s a big statement. He said that strongly.’
The President said that Xi did agree to buy US oil.
‘And one thing I think that we’re going to make a deal on is they’ve agreed they want to buy oil from the United States,’ Trump said.
‘They’re going to go into Texas. We’re going to start sending Chinese ships to Texas and to Louisiana and to Alaska. And I think that was another thing that was agreed to,’ he added.
Trump later told Hannity that Xi would like to see the US make a deal with Iran.
‘He said, “If I can be of any help, at all, I would like to be of help,”‘ the President stated.
Trump also touted a possible deal with China to buy 200 Boeing planes, up from the 150 the US-based company had sought, the President said.
‘I think it was a commitment,’ he said. ‘He said, sort of like “save it,” but I think it was a commitment.’
Overall Trump boasted that the talks went ‘better than last time’ and more deals were to come.
‘They’re going to do a lot of soybeans for our farmers. They’re going to be buying a lot of our farm product,’ he said.
He then segued and told Hannity that ‘Democrats are against farmers,’ before revealing the new nickname he had given the party.
Hannity didn’t ask Trump any questions about Taiwan.
