Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said Tuesday that the “phase one” trade agreement President Trump is preparing to make with China this week will hurt American businesses, workers, and farmers for many years to come.
The New York Democrat said he fears that Mr. Trump is taking “the easy way out, settling for a weak deal” because of the looming presidential election in November.
“For the past decade, China has stolen American intellectual property through forced technology transfers of our companies and through outright cyber-theft,” Mr. Schumer said on the Senate floor. “The president’s phase-one deal doesn’t even address this issue.”
Mr. Schumer added that the deal is a day late and a dollar short for the agricultural industry.
“American farmers have already lost billions and over the last two years, watched their markets disappear, and too many American farms have gone bankrupt in the time that it took President Trump to reach this deal,” Mr. Schumer said.
Mr. Schumer said the agreement, which is expected to be signed Wednesday at the White House, is “remarkable for how little it achieves at an enormous price.”
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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