US President Trump Downplays Taiwan Military Confrontation with China, Leaving Beijing's Threats Unaddressed.
In an exclusive interview airing on Sunday, President Donald Trump stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping knows the consequences of military action in Taiwan, but refused to elaborate on his plan if China were to invade the island. Trump made this statement during a conversation with CBS correspondent Norah O'Donnell, who asked him about his stance on defending Taiwan against potential Chinese aggression.
According to Trump, he and Xi did not discuss the issue during their meeting last week, and that Chinese officials are well aware of the consequences of taking military action in Taiwan. Trump suggested that Beijing's leaders understand that they "would never do anything while President Trump is president," implying that they know the potential repercussions of such a move.
This assertion came as a surprise to some, given China's vocal threats towards Taiwan in recent months. Chinese officials have repeatedly emphasized their intention to bring the island under Beijing's control, and have taken steps to close in on its waterways, airspace, and cyber domains.
Trump's comments marked his first interview with 60 Minutes since he sued CBS parent company Paramount over a 2024 interview with then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The settlement did not include an apology from Trump.
The exclusive interview also touched on other topics such as Venezuela, US immigration policy, and the ongoing government shutdown. However, it was the mention of Taiwan that left many observers wondering about Trump's true intentions in dealing with China's rising assertiveness in the region.
In an exclusive interview airing on Sunday, President Donald Trump stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping knows the consequences of military action in Taiwan, but refused to elaborate on his plan if China were to invade the island. Trump made this statement during a conversation with CBS correspondent Norah O'Donnell, who asked him about his stance on defending Taiwan against potential Chinese aggression.
According to Trump, he and Xi did not discuss the issue during their meeting last week, and that Chinese officials are well aware of the consequences of taking military action in Taiwan. Trump suggested that Beijing's leaders understand that they "would never do anything while President Trump is president," implying that they know the potential repercussions of such a move.
This assertion came as a surprise to some, given China's vocal threats towards Taiwan in recent months. Chinese officials have repeatedly emphasized their intention to bring the island under Beijing's control, and have taken steps to close in on its waterways, airspace, and cyber domains.
Trump's comments marked his first interview with 60 Minutes since he sued CBS parent company Paramount over a 2024 interview with then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The settlement did not include an apology from Trump.
The exclusive interview also touched on other topics such as Venezuela, US immigration policy, and the ongoing government shutdown. However, it was the mention of Taiwan that left many observers wondering about Trump's true intentions in dealing with China's rising assertiveness in the region.
I mean, come on, Beijing has been making some serious moves towards Taiwan and now he's just gonna tell them to chill out because Xi knows better? That's not how diplomacy works, folks! It's all about setting clear boundaries and consequences. Trump is basically saying he won't do anything if China doesn't invade, which is a pretty weak stance considering the situation.
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i'm literally on edge thinking about what might happen with taiwan china and us all involved lol hope president trump knows what he's doing but honestly it feels like nobody is really addressing the real issues here 
. I'm not sure what to make of Trump's comments though, is he trying to downplay the situation or was that just his way of saying "don't mess with me" 
? Anyway, let's hope for the best and keep those fingers crossed for Taiwan 
! Can we get some more updates on this pls? 
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It's like he thinks they're playing a game of chess or something 
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I mean, Trump just brushed off Beijing's threats and implied they won't do anything while he's president? That's not exactly reassuring for Taiwan or anyone else who cares about regional stability. What's going on here, folks? Is the US really just gonna let China walk all over them and it's okay with Trump? 
. He just brushes off the whole thing like it's no big deal and that Xi Jinping knows better 
. Newsflash: being aware of the consequences doesn't necessarily mean you won't take action when it counts 
. And what if China does decide to invade? Does Trump think he can magically stop them with a tweet or two? 
It's not exactly reassuring to hear that Beijing's leaders know better than him either 
Not buying it!
... and honestly, i'm not sure what the consequences would be if china invaded taiwan 
... I mean, you'd think he'd be all over this Taiwan situation like white on rice 
, considering how much China's been talking trash about taking over the island 
. But for him to just brush it off and say Xi knows better? That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence 
. It's like, where's the beef? You know what I mean? The layout of his response is kinda all over the place too... it jumps from Trump talking about his meeting with Xi to totally unrelated topics 
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