The Trump campaign responded strongly to Politico’s report that China would prefer Trump back in the White House, calling it false reporting. The campaign pointed out that President Trump had taken a tough stance on China during his time in office. The article in Politico Nightly claimed that China may be aiding Trump’s return to office by masquerading as his supporters on social media. Additionally, the piece suggested that a second Trump presidency could benefit China strategically.
The Trump campaign criticized the sources in the Politico article, including a “China expert” who is a Democrat donor. The campaign argued that the article was being used as a tool by China to manipulate media coverage to influence public opinion. The campaign also pointed out that Politico has a media partnership with the South China Morning Post, which is seen as a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party. A spokesperson for Politico denied any affiliation with the SCMP and criticized the Trump campaign’s response as “bizarre” and filled with errors.
The New York Times also ran a similar piece suggesting that America’s adversaries, including Russia and China, would prefer Trump back in the White House. The article claimed that covert Chinese accounts were posing as American Trump supporters to promote conspiracy theories and attack President Biden. The report stated that Trump’s combative stance toward China during his time in office could be a reason why China would prefer him to Biden. The report also suggested that Trump’s isolationist stances would benefit Moscow and Beijing.
Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung called on Politico to stop promoting “pro-Chinese talking points” and to report on real news instead. He argued that a Biden presidency would result in a weaker America and a stronger China, and that only Trump could prevent this outcome. Cheung’s statement condemned media outlets for being influenced by Chinese forces and accused them of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The campaign emphasized Trump’s strong stance against China during his presidency and suggested that a second term for Trump would not benefit China.
Overall, the response from the Trump campaign to reports from Politico and The New York Times focuses on countering claims that China would prefer Trump back in the White House. The campaign highlights Trump’s tough stance on China during his presidency and suggests that his policies were not favorable to China. Additionally, the campaign accuses media outlets of being influenced by China and promoting biased reporting. The response underscores the geopolitical implications of a Trump presidency and suggests that a Biden administration would result in a stronger China and a weaker America.
