In a recent appearance on POLARIS National Security with Morgan Ortagus, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy underscored the urgent need for the United States to regain control over critical mineral processing and to counter China’s strategic investments in American infrastructure, farmland, and meatpacking facilities.
However, former White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro responded with a blistering tweet accusing McCarthy of hypocrisy and collusion with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
During the interview, McCarthy elucidated his concerns over China’s growing influence.
Below is the transcript:
China controls 90% of critical minerals, but they control 95% of the processing of critical minerals. So what does that mean?
We need to open up more mines in America. We need to invest in the ability to processing them. Medical supplies. When it comes to our food, we’re watching them buy our farmland up. We’re watching them buy into our meat packing facilities. We’re watching them invest in our infrastructure. You can’t sit here blindly when you get comments of what they’re saying now.
It’s nothing negative against the Chinese people. We’re talking about the Communist Party here. We should be investing in America, that we’re not dependent upon anybody else. If we should learn anything from Europe, dependency makes you weak.
In a tweet, McCarthy wrote, “The Chinese Communist Party wants us to depend on them for – Critical minerals – Medical supplies – Agricultural goods And a lot more. Now more than ever, we must protect our national security and END our dependence on China.”
The Chinese Communist Party wants us to depend on them for
– Critical minerals
– Medical supplies
– Agricultural goods
And a lot more.Now more than ever, we must protect our national security and END our dependence on China. pic.twitter.com/GMRBud2Duq
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) August 12, 2023
Despite McCarthy’s strong words, Navarro was quick to challenge his sincerity, accusing McCarthy of singlehandedly blocking a bill that would have prevented Communist China from building U.S. rail and subway systems.
“This asshole singlehandedly nixed a bill when I was in the White House that would have prevented Communist China from building our rail and subway systems because he had a China bus plant in his district. HYPOCRITE BLOWDRIED CCP B*TCH,” Navarro wrote.
Peter Navarro, a key figure in shaping U.S. trade policy during the Trump administration, has been an outspoken critic of Communist China, particularly regarding trade practices and economic policies.
As the former Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy and Assistant to President Trump, Navarro played a significant role in shaping the Trump administration’s trade policy toward China.
Perhaps most notably, Navarro was instrumental in crafting the trade policies that led to a series of tariffs on Chinese goods.
According to the Tax Foundation, “The Trump administration imposed several rounds of tariffs, amounting to an $80 billion tax increase on $380 billion worth of imports (based on 2018 values), ranging from thousands of products from China to steel and aluminum and washing machines and solar panels.”
Navarro has been vocal about the need for the United States to reduce dependency on China, particularly in critical industries like pharmaceuticals, technology, and manufacturing. He has emphasized the potential national security risks associated with reliance on Chinese supply chains.
This asshole singlehandedly nixed a bill when I was in the White House that would have prevented Communist China from building our rail and subway systems because he had a China bus plant in his district. HYPOCRITE BLOWDRIED CCP BITCH. https://t.co/RuVO8V37ND
— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) August 13, 2023
