Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) displayed a “Trump ❤️ Xi Jinping” poster during Wednesday’s hearing and criticized former President Trump for past comments about Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Enemies of constitutional democracy and freedom are trying to destabilize the American government. Global tyrants are targeting Joe Biden and promoting Donald Trump, who affectionately describes President Xi Jinping as a ‘wonderful man,’ calls Vladimir Putin a ‘genius,’ and says he’s in love with Kim Jong Un,” Raskin said. In the opening statement for a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing.
Wednesday’s hearing focused on the Chinese Communist Party and the threat it poses to the United States.
As Raskin spoke, staffers behind him held up signs, one of which read, “Trump [heart emoji] Xi Jinping and included estimate In April 2023, President Trump sent a letter saying, “President Xi Jinping is an incredible man. Even if you searched all of Hollywood for someone who could play the role of President Xi Jinping, you would not find anyone. There is no one like that. Looks, brains, everything.”
Another sign behind Raskin showed a photo of the 2019 Hong Kong protests, showing police beating protesters with batons. Under the photo was written: “Former President Donald Trump: President Xi Jinping acted ‘highly responsible’ during ‘riots’ in Hong Kong.” comment Trump spoke out as president during the 2019 protests.
“While Donald Trump portrays President Xi Jinping as a very good man, China is in fact an authoritarian police and state that violates the human rights and civil liberties of hundreds of millions of people,” Raskin said. “President Xi has persecuted, imprisoned and oppressed Tibetans, Uighurs, and the people of Hong Kong and Taiwan.”
Trump’s comments about Xi Jinping and other foreign leaders have been criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike for being too friendly to authoritarian regimes. He was repeatedly criticized by former Vice President Mike Pence and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley during the Republican presidential campaign last year.
“It’s not normal to praise a dictator. Get America back on track,” Haley said. I wrote to X The visit took place in February last year after Trump described Xi as a “very good friend.”
Pence and Haley have since suspended their campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination, with Trump being considered the leading Republican presidential nominee.
Raskin then sought to contrast President Trump’s stance on China with that of the Biden administration.
“While Donald Trump proclaims his love affair with President Xi Jinping, the Biden-Harris Administration has responded forcefully to the political, security and economic challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party. [Antony] “The U.S. relationship with China is the greatest geopolitical test of this century. The Biden Administration has strengthened our democratic institutions to withstand attacks from autocrats and strengthened our alliances with democracies both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region,” Blinken said.
Trump’s communications director, Steven Chan, slammed Raskin’s actions during the hearing.
“Jamie Raskin, like Joe Biden, is a China-loving puppet of the Chinese Communist Party who continues to betray America. In fact, China will grow stronger under a weak Biden Administration, and our allies will be put at greater risk as China strengthens its economic and military power,” Chang said in a statement to The Hill. “Deadly Chinese-made fentanyl continues to flow into American communities, killing many, while Chinese illegal immigrants are the fastest growing source of immigration across our southern border. Only Donald J. Trump can stop it.”
