Trump Briefs Media, China Making Massive Food Purchases

Speaking to the press Aug. 13 , Trump said that there are ongoing discussions with China on the Phase One trade deal, declaring: “Well, the phase one deal, it’s a very interesting situation because you’ve been hearing, ‘the largest order of corn in history,’ ‘the largest order of soybeans,’ ‘the largest order of beef.’ They’ve done more than they’ve ever done.... My attitude toward China is not friendly. But they have gone into orders that are extremely large, extremely large, and our farmers are very happy…. But they are giving — they are giving the Midwest, our farmers, among the largest orders they’ve ever seen. Bob Lighthizer said about 40% of what they’re selling now is going to China. So maybe they’re trying to make me change my mind a little bit, because you know my attitude on China, and it’s not — it hasn’t been very good.”