United States Senator Bill Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee, appeared on Fox Business with Larry Kudlow to discuss the Trump Administration’s trade negotiations with China. As a member of several Senate committees and a former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Hagerty provided insights into the administration’s approach.
Hagerty emphasized the importance of holding China accountable for its commitments under the trade deal. He recalled discussions during the 2018 G20 summit when Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to stop fentanyl from entering the United States, a promise that was not fulfilled. “If you think about the $200 billion worth of goods they promised to buy from us in the phase one deal—you were there, you architected this—and they fell through on that too,” he said. Hagerty stressed that more proof would be required from China before any easing or forgiveness could be considered.
Comparing approaches towards China between administrations, Hagerty highlighted differences between the Biden and Trump administrations’ strategies. He noted that economic relationships are closely tied to national security and mentioned past agreements like the high-standard digital trade agreement with Japan as examples of successful negotiations. “I think that Secretary Bessent and Ambassador Greer have a very strong hand to play as they walk into this,” he added.
Hagerty also criticized previous diplomatic efforts involving multiple cabinet secretaries visiting China, contrasting them with current strategies under President Trump. “Things have definitely changed under President Trump and for the good,” he concluded.
