Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Donald Trump’s Ever-Changing Trade Policy With China Risking Our National Security

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the lack of clarity and cohesion in the Trump administration’s policy with China, which undermines our national security. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

If there’s one country that has benefited from Donald Trump’s tariff chaos, it’s China.

We all know that Trump loves to talk tough against Beijing, but a closer look at the Trump administration’s actions toward them show it’s just that – talk.

Over the past few weeks, Donald Trump has granted the Chinese government greater access to American advanced AI chips, vital to our national security.

Trump has done a complete flip-flop once again. First, his administration blocked these chips from being sold to Chinese entities. That was a huge win. But now that’s gone out the window.

Donald Trump is also hitting the brakes on new restrictions on other sensitive tech exports to Chinese companies, perhaps hoping it helps trade talks. Meanwhile, reports are out that Donald Trump cancelled a long-planned, high-level security meeting with Taiwan and even blocked their president from coming to the U.S.

Donald Trump – our national security should never be a bargaining chip, least of all when dealing with Beijing. But, Mr. President, you somehow think otherwise. President Biden, who I know you don't like, put a lot of these restrictions in because he saw the dangers of China. And you're backing off.

So, while Donald Trump wants America to think he is the tough guy when it comes to the Chinese government, when it comes to Beijing, his actions over the last six months show a pattern of appeasement. And he’s unwittingly sending a clear message to adversaries around the world: under Donald Trump, America’s security, prosperity, and technological edge are open to negotiation.

Dollar for dollar, person for person, our tech is better than the Chinese tech. But when we give them access to what might be family jewels – in terms of tech, in terms of chips, in terms of AI, since they spend more money than we do after DOGE and all those cuts – they're going to get ahead of us and our children and grandchildren are going to resent it. So will we.

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