It's a good idea for the United States to get tough on China, Sen. Chris Coons said Tuesday, but he does not agree with how President Donald Trump is "swinging the club of tariffs wildly "along the way.
"I do agree that it’s important that we get tough on China’s intellectual property theft and the ways in which they’ve forced American companies to transfer technology," the Delaware Democrat told MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "But I strongly disagree with the way [Trump] has been swinging the club of tariffs wildly, hitting our closest allies, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Japan, on his route towards a conflict with China."
Coons added that he's concerned about the tariff war, and considers tariffs a tax on American consumers or manufacturers.
Tariffs are the one consistent position Trump has had for decades, Coons continued, even though it's not a choice that the Republican Party has traditionally embraced.
The senator also said Tuesday that Democrats have requested classified briefings so they can learn more about an updated plan calling for up to 120,000 troops should Iran stage attacks against the United States or its interests in the Middle East.
Coons added that he has not yet met with Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who announced the plan during a meeting at the White House last week.
"I had enormous confidence in Secretary James Mattis, who I think was wildly and well respected, not just in the Senate and our armed forces, but globally," said Coons. "We don't have a secretary of defense or national security adviser with comparable leadership experience."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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