White House Shouting Match Results in Trump Delaying Speech on Trade with China

A speech planned for Friday targeting China’s intellectual property and trade practices was delayed because of a shouting match at the White Hosue, The Daily Caller reports.

White House spokeswoman Natalie Strom told TheDC that the speech is postponed, and not cancelled. Trump was reportedly expected to issue a memorandum accusing China of intellectual property theft and that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was expected to launch an investigation that would allow the U.S. to impose tariffs and other trade restrictions.

A source within the White House told TheDC that there was a tense meeting Thursday about Chinese intellectual property theft in chief of staff John Kelly’s office and staffers engaged in a yelling match.

According to the source, the main players in favor of going after China were Lighthizer, the White House’s top trade official Peter Navarro, and senior adviser Stephen Miller. Those who are opposed to the move include economic council director Gary Cohn and national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

Kelly eventually intervened and McMaster won the day’s, according to TheDC.

 -RW