'We built China': Trump claims country 'took advantage' of US in false claims about tariffs
The IndependentSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After falsely claiming the US had a $500 billion a year trade deficit with China "for years," Donald Trump said the country has "taken advantage" of the US. Asked whether China is taking advantage of the US during the pandemic, the president blamed the WTO, saying it was a "very bad day for the United States" when China joined in 2001. Earlier this month, the president claimed that the US was the first country to ban travel from China following the coronavirus outbreak, which nearly 40 other countries did before the administration unveiled its restrictions. The president and his Republicans allies have also called the coronavirus a "Chinese" or "Wuhan" virus despite the US overtaking China and dozens other countries in Covid-19 cases.