President Trump defended his tariffs on China and attacked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for saying the country's "not competition for us," in an interview with Fox News' Steve Hilton broadcast Sunday.
Why it matters: The trade war has been crippling for U.S. farmers. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) told "Fox News Sunday" earlier the tariffs "are absolutely painful" for farmers, but if it meant striking a good deal with China, "we might look back and say this is worth the price we are paying." Trump told Hilton he said to Chinese President Xi Jinpin any agreement couldn't be 50-50 because of China's past trade practices.
Details: Trump said in his interview the tariffs had prompted firms to move production out of China and in to other Asian countries. He told Hilton he's confident of striking a deal with China because "they’re getting killed with the tariffs." Trump said he loved American farmers, who told him they didn't want subsidies, but the U.S. would help them.
The big picture: In his in-depth interview with Hilton, Trump also said Biden should "100 percent" be investigated for claims made by Peter Schweizer he made in a 2018 book in which he alleges the former vice president's son Hunter Biden took advantage of his father’s position to sign a business deal with the Bank of China.
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