At the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, President Donald Trump defended his trade fights with other countries, charging to world leaders on Tuesday that the U.S. will act in its “national interest” when it feels cheated. The President’s remarks come just one day after the latest developments in the trade war with China, with the Trump Adminstration tacking on an additional 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods with the President citing the measure in effort to defend American workers.
“We will no longer tolerate such abuse. We will not allow our workers to be victimized, our companies to be cheated, and our wealth to be plundered and transferred,” Trump said in New York.
President Trump also listed his administration’s successes during his first term in office, including withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and working to establish a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to dismantle the country’s nuclear missile program. Moreover, he talked about renegotiating what he cited as “broken and bad trade deals” with countries who he said gained an “unfair advantage” over the U.S. in the past.
Although lawmakers have argued that the trade conflict with China will raise costs for consumers, President Trump sees the tariffs only as means to a productive end. Speaking on the narrative that helped spring him into office, Trump fixed his sights on accosting multiple countries who he said have abused U.S. workers for years. He criticized nations admitted to the World Trade Organization that “violate every single principle” on which the group is based, according to a report from CNBC.
Nevertheless, Trump aimed most of his jabs at China. He criticized the country for product dumping, alleged currency manipulation, and charged theft of intellectual property, all of which led to massive duties being placed on the country.
“Our trade imbalance is just not acceptable,” President Trump said. He added that any efforts by Beijing to distort markets “cannot be tolerated.”