Donald Trump campaigned against China, blaming the country for the loss of thousands of American jobs. Then, all of a sudden, he did an about-face to praise the country and express concern for the loss of many Chinese jobs. Why would he do that, and will Congress ever grow a spine to stop this reckless man?
The U.S. had just determined it would not buy parts from the Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE. The government-owned organization used its phones to spy on America and sold its spyware to our country’s enemies, North Korea and Iran.
A 2012Â House Intelligence Committee report issued a strong warning to Congress’ leaders about ZTE and a second Chinese company, Huawei, which is is the same industry.
Perhaps, Trump’s quick turn around had something to do with China loaning a financially-troubled Indonesian theme park that featured one of Trump’s future golf courses and a hotel half a billion dollars ($500 million) . After all, the president still has trouble raising capital.
The deal smelled rotten, and Representative David Cicilline (RI) just posted a letter on Twitter addressed to David Apol, the acting head of federal government ethics committee. Cicilline is the co-chair of the DPCC (Democratic Policy and Communications Committee). The group was formerly called the DPC (Democratic Policy Committee).
Over 60 members of the House signed the letter that called for an ethics investigation into the ZTE matter. Cicilline tweeted:
‘NEW: Will be sending this letter with more than 60 colleagues to demand an ethics investigation into @realDonaldTrump advocating for a Chinese company just days after China’s government gave his company a $500 million loan.’
In the letter, lawmakers said the business dealing between the Trump Organization and China may have violated U.S. laws forbidding public officials from accepting payments or gifts from foreign entities without Congress’s approval:
‘The Chinese government’s loan provides a clear financial benefit to President Trump. Despite the nearly unanimous recommendation by legal experts that he divest from his business interests before assuming the presidency, he failed to do so, instead placing his adult children in charge of day-to-day operations.’
Unlike most presidents, Trump did not divest himself of his business. That means, he will make a profit off of the deal, unless it fails. Regardless, a loan from a foreign country is a clear violation of the Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution.
Then, Trump reached a deal with the Chinese to put ZTE back in business, tweeting:
‘I closed it down then let it reopen with high level security guarantees, change of management and board, must purchase U.S. parts and pay a $1.3 Billion fine. Dems do nothing but complain and obstruct.’
Cicilline’s letter said:
‘We believe that these events raise several potential constitutional and ethical violations… (T)he extremely short time period between the Chinese’s (sic) government’s loan and President Trump’s order to roll back penalties on ZTE warrants a review of any applicable federal ethics regulations.’
The letter noted ZTE “illegally sold U.S. technology to hostile regimes:”
‘The Trump administration has yet to give a satisfactory answer about the reason behind and the appropriateness of making concessions to ZTE, a Chinese company that illegally sold U.S. technology to hostile regimes. The Trump administration has also completely failed to address the suspicious timing between this policy reversal and the Chinese government’s loan to a Trump-linked project.’
It continued:
‘As you know, the issue of U.S. policy being manipulated by a foreign entity or the personal business interests of a public official is of grave concern to the American people. We ask that you promptly conduct a review of this matter and keep us apprised periodically about the progress of your investigation.
Featured Image via Getty Images/Spencer Platt.
