Representative Quotations from President Trump on President Xi and China
Oct. ’24 – Strong relationship with President Xi: “I had a very strong relationship with him. He was actually a really good, I don’t want to say friend—I don’t want to act foolish, ‘he was my friend’—but I got along with him great. He stayed at Mar-a-Lago with me, so we got to know each other great. He’s a very fierce person.” (Interview with the WSJ Editorial Board)
Oct. ’24 – President Xi is brilliant: “The press hates it when I call President Xi ‘brilliant.” Well, he’s a brilliant guy. He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. He’s a brilliant guy whether you like it or not.” (Interview with Joe Rogan)
July ’24 – I love China: “I love China—and what they said is right. I respect China greatly. I very much respect President Xi. I got to know him very well and I liked him a lot. He’s a strong guy, but I liked him a lot. I respect him.” (Interview with Bloomberg)
Feb. ’24 – Respect lost: “They [Xi and his colleagues] respected our country three years ago. Today they think our country is a joke.”
Want China to do great: “I want China to do great, I do. And I like President Xi a lot. He was a very good friend of mine during my first term. I got along with him great, though I’m not sure he loved what I was doing.” (Interview with Maria Bartiromo)
Jan. ’20 – Relationship has never been better: “Our relationship with China has probably never, ever been better. [Xi’s] for China, I’m for the US, but other than that we love each other.” (Speech at Davos)
Jan ’20. – Trade deal bringing US and China closer: “One of the many great things about our just signed giant Trade Deal with China is that it will bring both the USA and China closer together in so many other ways. Terrific working with President Xi, a man who truly loves his country.” (Twitter)
Jan. ’20 – Relationship reciprocal: “As tough as this negotiation was, I think our relationship with China now might be the best it has been in a long, long time. And now its reciprocal. Before we were being ripped off badly. Now we have a reciprocal relationship, maybe even better than reciprocal for us.” (Remarks at USMCA Signing)
June ’19 – We’ve become friends: “We [Xi and Trump] have had a lot of time together, and we’ve become friends. My trip to Beijing with my family was one of the most incredible of my life. I’ve seen a culture that rarely would you see. Chinese culture is an incredible culture.”
Something truly monumental: “I will say that I think this can be a very productive meeting, and I think we can go on to do something that truly will be monumental and great for both countries, and that’s what I look forward to doing.” (Remarks with Xi at Osaka G20)
Dec. ’18 – Relationship with President Xi is special: “The relationship is very special, the relationship I have with President Xi. I think that is going to be very primary reason why we’ll probably end up – end up getting something that will be good for China and good for the United States.” (Remarks at Buenos Aires G20)
Mar. ’18 – Maybe give President Xi’s method a try: “He’s now president for life. President for life. No, he’s great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot some day.” (Fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago)
Nov. ’17 – Don’t blame China for trade imbalance: “I don't blame China. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens? I give China great credit. But, in actuality, I do blame past administrations for allowing this out-of-control trade deficit to take place and to grow. We have to fix this because it just doesn't work for our great American companies, and it doesn't work for our great American workers.” (Meeting with business leaders in Beijing