Donald Trump has said that if he returns as president, China would be too afraid to challenge him because President Xi Jinping knows Trump is “a little crazy.”
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Trump mentioned that if China tried to block Taiwan, he would hit them with huge tariffs, saying, “If you go into Taiwan, I’m going to tax you at 150% to 200%.”
On the campaign trail, Trump has argued that other countries wouldn’t dare mess with the U.S. if he became president again because they’d fear his unpredictable and tough responses.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said he wouldn’t need to use military force to stop China from blocking Taiwan.
According to Trump, President Xi respects him and knows he’s “crazy.” Trump said he had a strong relationship with Xi, adding that even though they weren’t exactly friends, they got along well.
Trump also talked about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying they got along well too. He claimed that he once warned Putin not to invade Ukraine by threatening to hit Moscow, saying, “You’re going to be hit so hard, I’m going to take those domes off your head.”
Trump has branded his foreign policy as “America First,” promising to focus on U.S. interests by reducing involvement in global conflicts, including the war between Russia and Ukraine. However, critics say this approach is more about isolating the U.S. from the rest of the world.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has worried some of Ukraine’s allies because Vance is against sending more U.S. aid to Ukraine.
In the interview, Trump also discussed his immigration plans, saying he wants people to come to the U.S. legally but defended his past policies, like separating families to deter illegal immigration.
He said that when people hear their families might be separated, they stay where they are.
Trump also shared concerns about unrest during the election. He told the Wall Street Journal that the “radical left” poses a bigger threat than foreign enemies and that the real problem is from within the country. He even suggested that if there were riots, he wouldn’t hesitate to bring in the National Guard.
Credit to BBC for providing information on this topic in several instances in this explanation.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c39l89j10e1o