Trump Discusses Key Issues While En Route to South Korea
President Donald Trump took a moment to speak with reporters aboard Air Force One as he was headed to South Korea on the last leg of his Asian tour. He expressed optimism about his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an economic summit.
When asked about the U.S. efforts to tackle fentanyl trafficking, Trump indicated that this would be a major topic in his discussions with Xi. He shared his expectation for progress on various fronts, including fentanyl, trade, and tariffs. “China will work with me,” Trump stated, showing confidence that they would achieve meaningful outcomes.
He stressed the importance of their impending meeting, describing it as significant. “We have to have a meeting — we have a meeting tomorrow. It’s a big meeting,” he noted. Fentanyl, he emphasized, would definitely be a key point of conversation, along with issues farmers would discuss.
Trump pointed to a direct link between the fentanyl crisis and drug trafficking on the southern border, expressing concern over the high death toll associated with it. “We accepted a huge amount of death. I call them ships of death,” he remarked. He claimed that the current administration had allowed drugs to flow freely across the border, attributing last year’s deaths to this laxity, but expressed confidence in improved border control now.
He remarked on the achievements of U.S. law enforcement in reducing illegal drug trafficking at sea by about 80%. Trump lauded the efforts of the Border Patrol agents, stating, “They’ve been amazing,” and acknowledged the work of ICE as well.
During his Asia trip, Trump also touched on global security matters, referencing the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and North Korea’s missile tests. He again expressed high hopes for productive discussions with Xi, suggesting that many issues could be resolved in their talks, which he believes will be “great.”
His remarks indicate a strong emphasis on linking border security with international collaboration as significant priorities leading up to his meeting with Xi.
