During a CNN panel, author Batya Ungar-Sargon called out her fellow guests for siding with China over President Trump on trade talks.
The discussion kicked off after China denied having any trade negotiations with Trump, despite his public claims. Ungar-Sargon blasted the panelists for trusting China over a U.S. president, calling it “insane” and “an embarrassment.”
“Why are you guys on China’s side in this? It’s insane!” she said, pushing back on their skepticism toward Trump.
Former NewsNation host Dan Abrams admitted China’s messaging was murky but said there were “differing narratives.” SiriusXM host John Fugelsang took it further, questioning whether Trump could be trusted at all.
Ungar-Sargon wasn’t having it. She pointed out how ridiculous it was to believe China over a president elected by over 80 million Americans, calling her colleagues’ position “pathetic.”
Fugelsang argued that Trump had burned international trust by pulling out of deals like the Iran nuclear agreement and the Paris Accord. Ungar-Sargon fired back, saying more than 100 countries were still negotiating tariffs with Trump’s administration.
As the debate heated up, she hit them with a blunt question: “Are you not embarrassed to give preference to China over the United States?”
The Daily Caller takes a deeper dive into the story, offering additional insights and context:
Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. intends to ease tariffs on China “substantially,” though they will not be eliminated completely. After Trump’s initial tariff announcement on April 2, the U.S. entered a trade war with China as the country imposed steep tariffs of its own in retaliation.
By April 9, Trump said he would raise the tariffs on China from 104% to 125% after he had implemented a 90-day pause on every other country to leave room for negotiations. The next day, Trump announced that the tariff rate would rise to a minimum of 145% on all Chinese tariffs, according to The New York Times.
China currently faces tariffs of up to 245% as a result of its retaliatory actions, the White House said on April 15.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a Tuesday speech that he expects a “de-escalation” in the tariff war between the U.S. and China, according to The Associated Press.
The exchange on CNN highlights a deeper divide over how — and whom — Americans of different ideological stripes trust when it comes to foreign policy.
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