Flaunting Relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un
"Massive Funds Invested in Russia-Ukraine War... Seeking Compensation"
"Paper Straws Are the Worst"... Reintroducing Plastic Straws
President Trump is conducting an interview with Fox News aired on the 10th (local time). This interview took place on the 8th at Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, the private residence of President Trump. Photo by Fox News
U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping after his inauguration. He once again mentioned that the proposal to incorporate Canada as the 51st state of the United States remains valid despite domestic opposition in Canada. Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, he positioned himself as a mediator and expressed confidence that he could achieve better results in negotiations with Iran than previous administrations.
Disclosure of Call with President Xi... Flaunting Friendship with Kim Jong-un
In an interview with Fox News aired on the 10th (local time), President Trump disclosed that he had spoken with President Xi since taking office but did not specify the exact timing or content of the call.
When the host asked, "Have you spoken with President Xi?" Trump replied, "Yes. I like talking with him." When the host followed up, "Was it after your inauguration?" Trump said, "Yes. I spoke with him and also talked with his close aides."
Earlier, Trump had revealed in a virtual speech at the Davos Forum on the 23rd of last month that he spoke with President Xi on the 17th, just before his inauguration, but this is the first time he has disclosed a call after taking office.
On the 3rd, the day before the additional 10% tariff imposed on China took effect, Trump said, "I will speak with President Xi within 24 hours," but the next day he stated, "The call with President Xi will happen at the appropriate time, and I will not rush."
He was optimistic about the possibility of negotiations with China. Trump criticized, "China is a country dependent on its economy and trade," and said, "Under Biden's neglect of China, the U.S. has recorded a trade deficit exceeding $1 trillion."
He added, "However, China needs the United States. I maintain a good relationship with President Xi, and we know each other very well."
In the same interview, President Trump also boasted of his close relationship with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, saying, "I know him very well. Most people probably cannot even talk to him."
Scenario of Incorporating Canada as the 51st State... Pressure on Auto Tariffs
President Trump reiterated that the scenario of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States is possible.
In the interview, he said, "It would be much better for Canada to become the 51st state of the U.S." He added, "If Canada becomes part of the U.S., they will receive lower taxes and strong military protection," and "Russia and China are deploying warships near Canada, and we cannot ignore this."
This follows the revelation that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently said in a private meeting with business leaders that "Trump wants to make Canada the 51st state." Earlier, Trump had sparked controversy by stating his intention to incorporate Canada as the 51st state, and Trudeau expressed concern that Trump seemed serious while the microphone was still on, causing an aftershock.
Previously, last month, Trudeau had downplayed Trump's remarks, calling them "a strategy to distract people's attention."
President Trump also targeted Canada's automotive industry directly, saying, "We are losing $200 billion annually in trade with Canada."
Trump stated, "If we cannot reach an agreement with Canada, we will impose tariffs of 50% or 100% on their cars." This exceeds the 25% tariff rate on Canada that Trump initially announced on February 1.
The White House has postponed the application deadline for tariff policies on Canada and Mexico by one month, but concerns remain high. Under Trump's pressure, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum promised to strengthen efforts to curb the flow of illegal drugs and migrants crossing the U.S. border.
According to an analysis by S&P Global Mobility, if tariffs take effect, the average price of cars imported from Mexico or Canada is expected to rise from $25,000 to $31,250, an increase of $6,250.
Anti-American movements have erupted in Canada. There has been a surge in campaigns promoting Canadian-made products and boycotts against the five major American liquor brands. Websites that allow searching for Canadian products have also become popular. Jagmeet Singh, a member of the British Columbia House of Commons in Canada, told CNN on the same day, "Do not mistake our kindness for weakness," and stated, "There is absolutely no intention of becoming the 51st state of the United States."
'Gaza Plan' Belief Also Revealed... Wants Compensation for Russia-Ukraine War
He also revealed his belief in the 'Gaza Plan,' which involves relocating Palestinian residents to surrounding Arab countries. He said, "I have watched this situation for 50 to 60 years," and "Whenever the military enters and occupies, horrific results occur, and eventually everyone leaves, repeating the cycle."
He continued, "Gaza has effectively become a demolition zone, and even the remaining buildings are uninhabitable," adding, "I think we should go in, clean everything up, and completely eliminate Hamas. The residents should move to better places."
He also said, "I can negotiate with Jordan and Egypt," and "We provide them with billions of dollars annually." This can be interpreted as pressure from the U.S. side demanding that Palestinian residents be accepted under the pretext of U.S. foreign aid.
Regarding the peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, he positioned himself as a mediator, saying, "This war should never have happened from the start," and blamed the previous administration, stating, "Biden did not properly handle NATO issues, which caused this."
He added, "The Ukraine issue will be resolved, and I want to ensure the money the U.S. invested is guaranteed," and "I want to secure resources worth $500 billion, including rare minerals."
He also expressed confidence in the possibility of negotiations with Iran, stating that he could achieve better results than previous administrations.
He said, "The Iran nuclear deal under the Obama administration was the worst," and "It was a short-term solution that ultimately paved the way for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. I will never allow that."
Judgment on JD Vance as 'Successor' Deferred... On 'Paper Straws,' Calls It "A Foolish Policy of Previous Administration"
When asked if he considers Vice President JD Vance as his successor, he said, "No," and that it is too early to make a decision. He added, "No, but he is very capable," and "So far, I think he has done a fantastic job. But it is still too early."
This was part of the pre-released segment of the broadcast. Trump's remarks came while Vance was attending the Paris Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit held in Europe.
Regarding the recent executive order to reintroduce plastic straws, he said, "Paper straws are the worst," and called it "one of the foolish policies made by the Biden administration." He also claimed that 99% of people share the same opinion.
This interview took place on the 8th at Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, President Trump's private residence.
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