PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Sunday delivered sharp comments on trade, foreign policy, and domestic issues, doubling down on tariffs, criticizing Russia’s ongoing bombing campaign, and addressing a potential Senate endorsement.
Key Points
- Trump said the U.S. “can’t lose $1.9 trillion on trade” while spending heavily on NATO, calling the system “crazy”
- On Russia, Trump said the war “would have never started if I were president, 100%”
- He confirmed support for Chris Sununu in a potential New Hampshire Senate run
Tariffs and TikTok
Speaking at a press gaggle early Sunday evening, President Trump argued the United States trade deficit was unsustainable and defended his past tariff policies.
“This is not sustainable. The United States can’t lose $1.9 trillion on trade,” he said, linking it to U.S. military spending on NATO. “The whole thing is crazy, and I got elected on that basis.”
He also weighed in on reports that a potential deal on TikTok fell apart due to Chinese objections to tariffs.
“That is largely correct,” he said. “If I gave a little cut in tariffs, they’d approve that deal in 15 minutes, which shows you the power of tariffs, right?”
Russia, inflation and the ‘numbskulls’
On the war in Ukraine, Trump criticized Russia’s continued aggression. “I don’t like the bombing.
The bombing goes on and on,” he said. “It’s a horrible thing that should have never started.”
He dismissed concerns about inflation, placing the blame squarely on President Biden.
“I had no inflation. We had a perfect country. We had no wars. I ended them all. I defeated ISIS,” he said. “And then when this numbskull got in… bad things happened to our country.”
Sununu endorsement and measles response
Responding to reports of an endorsement, Trump said he supports New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu in a potential Senate run.
“I support him fully. I hope he runs,” he said.
Asked about recent measles outbreaks, Trump said it was “a fairly small number of people” but indicated action could be taken if the situation worsens.
“Certainly if something… progresses, we’ll have to take action very strongly,” he added.
Trump concluded by saying he plans to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on trade and other pressing issues.