Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) had a message for President Donald Trump during Senate floor remarks on Tuesday, telling the president to stick with his instinct and be tough on China.
"President Trump ought to come to his senses and stick with being tough on ZTE, stick with his instinct. That's what I say to you, Mr. President," said Schumer.
Trump announced Monday a potential deal on trade with China. The country has pressed the United States to address sanctions against ZTE, a major Chinese telecommunications company that was caught illegally shipping telecommunications gear to Iran and North Korea, making false statements, and obstructing justice. The Chinese company reached a settlement in March 2017 and paid penalties totaling $1.19 billion.
Earlier this month, Trump said he instructed the Commerce Department to work with Chinese officials to get ZTE back in business.
"President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast," Trump said. "Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!"
Schumer said Trump's instincts are to be "tough on China" but members of his administration are leading him astray.
"President Trump's instincts are to be tough on China," Schumer said. "He should not let [Treasury] Secretary Mnuchin lead him astray, or others in the administration who may be urging it. I know that there are some – Mr. [Robert] Lighthizer, Mr. [Peter] Navarro – who understand the dangers here, and they're in the administration too. And from press reports, they're arguing on the other side."
Schumer added that the deal Trump may be making is one he would have opposed before becoming president.
"The deal President Trump seems to be making is exactly the kind of deal that Donald Trump, before he was President Trump, would call weak, or the worst deal ever," Schumer said.
Schumer concluded that if Trump ignores the instinct to be tough on China, he will work with his senate colleagues to pass legislation to "turn this ship around."
"I hope these reports aren't true. But if they are, Democrats and Republicans must do something about it," Schumer said. "I know there are members on the other side – I saw Senator Rubio's tweets this morning – who are concerned about national security of the United States with respect to ZTE. So I will be reaching out to my Republican colleagues and members of my caucus, anyone who's willing to turn this ship around, to see what we can do legislatively."