The New York Times on Feb. 19 posted an article claiming, “More than half a dozen current and former advisers and others familiar with Mr. Trump’s thinking say that … Mr. Trump has expressed interest in a deal [with China] that would include substantial investments and commitments from the Chinese to buy more American products…. He would like an agreement to also include issues like nuclear weapons security, which he envisions ironing out man to man with Mr. Xi, his advisers say.”
Author Ana Swanson, who covered Trump’s relations with China during his first term, quotes Michael Pillsbury and Matthew Turpin, both Trump advisors during his 2017-2021 term, reporting that he still wants to pursue a deal with Xi Jinping. Of the current advisors, she writes: “Advisers like Howard Lutnick, Mr. Trump’s Commerce Secretary; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; and the billionaire Elon Musk have been encouraging the president’s instincts, telling him he is in a position to strike a significant agreement, a former official and another person familiar with the conversations said.”
