As protests gripped Hong Kong this week, President Donald Trump had some advice for Chinese President Xi Jinping on how to handle the clashes.
“I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?” Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
People in Hong Kong have been protesting since June, initially over a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed citizens to be sent over the border to mainland China. More recently, the protests and police response have been marked by violence, tear gas and, this week, a shutdown of Hong Kong’s busy airport.
Trump’s own involvement with China has become more complicated too, as the President’s administration delayed implementing new tariffs on Chinese-made goods until December 15.
“What we’ve done is we’ve delayed it so they won’t be relevant in the Christmas shopping season,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “Just in case they might have an impact on people.”
Trump also stirred up controversy over whether two members of Congress should be allowed to travel to Israel. Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota had planned to visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Hebron. Tlaib and Omar have been vocal critics of Israel and have supported the boycott movement.
Trump tweeted, “It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit,” adding that the two Democratic congresswomen, who have been vocal critics of Trump, “hate Israel and all Jewish people.”
Israel later announced it would bar Trump’s political opponents from entering the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Trump ally, echoed Trump’s tweeted sentiments: “The plan of the two Congresswomen is only to damage Israel and to foment against Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
On Thursday, reports emerged that Trump had his eye on another international parcel: the island of Greenland.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the President had raised the issue during meetings and dinners, asking aides and listening seriously about the possibility and advantages of owning Greenland.
There’s no offer specifically on the table – and already buying Greenland (technically owned by Denmark but run by an autonomous government) seems not to be feasible. As Greenland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted on Friday, “We’re open for business, not for sale.”
The Point: President Trump exercised his hand at international affairs this week – with varying degrees of success.
To recap:
Monday:
Tuesday:
- Cuccinelli rewrites Statue of Liberty poem to make case for limiting immigration
- Hong Kong police clash with protesters in chaotic scenes at airport
- US will delay tariff hike on Chinese-made cell phones, toys
- Trump touts US energy production at new plastics plant in campaign-like event
- Schumer to request Trump redirect wall funding to address gun violence and white supremacy extremism
Wednesday:
Thursday:
- Trump tells crowd it has ‘no choice’ but to vote for him over economy
- Israel bars Democratic congresswomen from entering country
- Trump to meet security officials on Afghanistan as concerns mount about US withdrawal
- Hong Kong protests: Trump offers to meet with China’s Xi to resolve crisis
- John Hickenlooper ends 2020 presidential campaign, nods at potential Senate bid
- El Paso mayor says Trump called him ‘a RINO’ in private meeting
Friday:
And that was the week in 20 headlines.