In an interview that aired on Thursday’s episode of “Hannity,” President Donald Trump said American farmers would “lose a lot of money” if Chinese nationals were prevented from purchasing U.S. land, while blaming former President Barack Obama for failing to address the issue earlier.
Trump told the skeptical Fox News host that while he is not enthusiastic about Chinese nationals purchasing farmland or property near military installations, removing them from the market entirely would have economic consequences.
“You want to see farm prices drop, you want to see farmers lose a lot of money? Just take that out of the market,” Trump said.
Trump also suggested that concerns about Chinese ownership of U.S. land were not new and said previous administrations — particularly Obama’s — failed to take meaningful action while Chinese-linked acquisitions expanded across the country.
Breitbart’s Ian Hanchett highlighted the key portion of the transcript:
Host Sean Hannity said, [relevant exchange begins around 8:20] “[T]he issue of Chinese students in our universities, more importantly, in my mind, is that Chinese nationals have been buying up thousands and thousands of acres of farmland, ranch land, and land near military installations. Now, I would assume, I’m in Beijing, if I wanted to buy property near one of their military installations, I don’t think President Xi –.”
Trump responded, “No, they wouldn’t let you. I don’t — look, it’s not that I love it, you want to see farm prices drop, you want to see farmers lose a lot of money? Just take that out of the market. But they’ve had a lot of land for a long time. Obama did nothing about it. They bought a lot of it during the Obama administration. He did nothing about it.”
WATCH:
The comments come amid growing concern over foreign ownership of farmland, especially properties located near military installations, energy infrastructure, and strategic agricultural regions. Multiple states have moved in recent years to restrict land purchases by citizens or entities connected to adversarial nations such as China.
Critics argue the purchases create national security vulnerabilities and increase foreign influence over critical food supply chains.
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Farmers do not care about land value. I imagine most would like to acquire more land at a cheaper price. Colleges and Universities are too expensive. If they can’t survive without half a million Chinese students, then the should collapse. Allowing foreign advisories to purchase property near military installations is just plain ignorant. I agree with the President on most issues, but I can’t agree with him here. Maybe he would have answered differently is the interview didn’t air while he was in China.
I am a Trump supporter. BUT — he’s really missing the point on this one. Forcing Chinese nationals to give up/ put their farmland on the open market would not cause our farmers to “lose a lot of money” unless they tried to panic sell their farms as well. (What I’ve seen is farmers facing the obstacles of giving their farmland to their children prior to their death because of the tax burden.) Our market can absorb the sale of Chinese farmland. It might go cheap if it’s all sold at once, but the rest of the market could absorb the shock and return to current levels quickly.
500,000 Chinese students keeps our universities afloat?? Wrong. The federal government providing ever increasing student loans because the universities keep raising tuition to ridiculous levels keep the universities afloat. They need to come down a notch or two. Let them float on their huge endowments. Cut 500K Chinese students and see how the universities fare? Some, like Hilldale, flourish without a dime of federal money. They should all do the same.
Sorry DJT; you are way off course on this one. You might have made a deal that drives this position but it must be a bad deal.
I doubt that China is letting Americans buy land all over China. Here is another example of the Trump mentality when it comes to schmoozing foreign leaders. Xi will just be another Putin. We have a new bromance in the works. If this were before WWII, Trump would be guzzling beer with Hitler during Oktoberfest and celebrating Mayday with Stalin. I don’t think that would have changed history. There is no way that China should be buying American property. We’ve already seen the infiltration in colleges and in politics. This is not a harmless activity by the Chinese.
You do NOT sell any American Land to any foreign entity of any kind rent it lease it but never Sell, and quit letting all this foreign foods in this country that we Ourselves can grow, quit selling out the American Workers period, just allowing these foreigners goods are bringing in insects, invasion insects, plants, animals, destroying our ecosystem look at Florida snake problems from allowing invasion items, here and you the fda are responsible and need to be held accountable, and China is Not our friend and you dam well know it they and all other countries can’t be trusted seen for the last 70 years, of this government selling out America, American Workers, all these politicians need removed permanently and No way in Hell should insider trading allowed in any part of the government, and lobbyists need to be shut down permanently, they are criminals, and politicians that go for them are criminals as well
I for one would LOVE to see any Chinese or other Country BANNED from owning any acreage. The farmers have survived and have been subsidized in bad times to keep them afloat. If Trump wants to sell them property let them buy his golf courses and hotels! I agree with 90% of what he does, but NOT when it comes to them BUYING Land! When AMERICANS can buy land in China or open a business with 100% ownership, will be when they can buy it here!
I agree with Trump on most of the issues but this I disagree strongly about , we don’t need foreign countries buying our land . You have problems when you let any non Americans to buyland then they think they can take over .
Right now everything is too expensive and we have too much fraud and waste going on , no wonder we are in such debt and trouble . Time to cut back on every thing , rough it people, we can do it to make America Great again .