During a portion of an interview with the Fox News Channel aired on Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump declined to say whether he supports Taiwanese independence from China or whether he would go to war with China if it invaded Taiwan because doing so would hurt negotiating leverage, but stated China “knows what I’d do. And, by the way, for four years, they didn’t invade Taiwan, and they never even talked about it.” Trump also stated the tariffs on China would stay in place regardless of China’s stance towards Taiwan.
Host Bret Baier asked, “Should Taiwan be independent?”
Trump responded, “So, if I tell you an answer, it’s going to hurt me in negotiations on the assumption that I win. But I have a very good relationship with President Xi. After COVID came in, I sort of didn’t want the relationship and I sort of ended the relationship.”
Baier also asked, “If China invaded Taiwan, would you go to war to defend Taiwan?”
Trump responded, “I don’t want to say that, because that hurts me in negotiations with regard to President Xi. Now, he knows what I’d do. And, by the way, for four years, they didn’t invade Taiwan, and they never even talked about it. You’ll find very few discussions about it.”
Trump also stated that he will keep tariffs with China in place.
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