BREAKING NEWS Top Trump aide says Britain is now a 'servant of communist China' and will soon be 'sucked dry' by Beijing
Economist Peter Navarro's influence on the President has helped redraw the boundaries of global trade over the past month.
Navarro is known for his hostility towards China and claims that, in the face of overwhelming US tariffs of 145 per cent against the Asian superpower, the Chinese may turn their attentions towards the UK.
'If the Chinese vampire can't suck the American blood, it's going to suck the UK blood and the EU blood,' he told The Telegraph.
Navarro said the present moment was 'a very dangerous time for the world economies' in terms of their exposure to Chinese money.
He added: 'And let's face it, the UK has been an all too compliant servant of the Chinese Communist Party because of the string-laden gifts that China gives as a way of spreading its soft power.'
The decision by China's Jingye Steel to shutter the Scunthorpe steel works has reinforced fears about the Chinese government's power in the UK.
The UK government has now taken control of the Scunthorpe site and senior figures inside the Labour Party have urged the government to carry out a full review of Chinese investment in critical UK infrastructure and industry.
Office for National Statistics data suggests Chinese investment in the UK in 2023 totaled around £4.3billion - only a tiny percentage of the £2 trillion overseas investment in the British economy in that year.
However, experts believe that is a significant underrepresentation of the Chinese position since the data focuses on the source of the immediate investment and now where the money ultimately comes from.
Navarro has rocketed to notoriety over the last month as President Trump's economic adviser and the man behind Donald Trump's tariff levies on nations around the world.
He originally began interacting with Trump's team in 2011 and was recruited to be economic policy adviser to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign after the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner saw his book Death by China on Amazon.
Both the chancellor Rachel Reeves and foreign secretary David Lammy have visited China in the name of what the Starmer administation has dubbed 'pragmatic re-engagement' with the Chinese government.
It has been suggested that Mr Navarro's anti-China stance could complicate attempts to forge a new trade deal between the UK and their transatlantic partners.
However, the economist said that the trade discussions were 'moving in Trump time, which is to say as swiftly as possible'.
He warned that the UK and Europe needed to remain 'very vigilant about becoming dumping grounds for the products that China would otherwise sell to America.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
22 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Appeal court throws out massive civil fraud penalty against Donald Trump
An appeal court has thrown out a massive civil fraud penalty against Donald Trump in a New York state lawsuit accusing him of exaggerating his wealth. The decision came seven months after the Republican returned to the White House. A panel of five judges in New York's mid-level Appellate Division said the verdict, which stood to cost the president more than 515 million dollars (£382 million) and rock his property empire, was 'excessive'. Advertisement After finding that Mr Trump engaged in fraud by flagrantly padding financial statements that went to lenders and insurers, Judge Arthur Engoron ordered him last year to pay 355 million dollars (£263 million) in penalties. With interest, the sum has topped 515 million dollars. The total — combined with penalties levied on some other Trump Organisation executives including Mr Trump's sons Eric and Donald Jr — now exceeds 527 million dollars (£391 million), with interest. Judge Arthur Engoron (Shannon Stapleton/AP) 'While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants' business culture, the court's disgorgement order, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution,' Judges Dianne T Renwick and Peter H Moulton wrote in one of several opinions shaping the appeals court's ruling. Judge Engoron had also imposed other punishments, such as banning Mr Trump and his two eldest sons from serving in corporate leadership for a few years. Those provisions have been on pause during the appeal, and Mr Trump was able to hold off collection of the money by posting a 175 million dollar (£130 million) bond. Advertisement The court, which was split on the merits of the lawsuit and the lower court's fraud finding, dismissed the penalty Judge Engoron imposed in its entirety while leaving a pathway for further appeals to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals. The appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state's trial court, took an unusually long time to rule, weighing Mr Trump's appeal for nearly 11 months after oral arguments last autumn. Normally, appeals are decided in a matter of weeks or a few months. New York attorney general Letitia James, who brought the suit on the state's behalf, has said the businessman-turned-politician engaged in 'lying, cheating and staggering fraud'. The president and his co-defendants denied wrongdoing. In a six-minute summation of sorts after a months-long trial, Mr Trump said in January last year that he was 'an innocent man' and the case was a 'fraud on me'. He has repeatedly maintained that the case and verdict were political moves by Ms James and Judge Engoron, who are both Democrats. Advertisement The Justice Department has subpoenaed Ms James for records related to the lawsuit, among other documents, as part of an investigation into whether she violated the president's civil rights. New York attorney general Letitia James (Yuki Iwamura/AP) Her lawyer Abbe D Lowell has said that investigating the fraud case is 'the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president's political retribution campaign'. Mr Trump and his lawyers said his financial statements were not deceptive because they came with disclaimers noting they had not been audited. The defence also noted that bankers and insurers independently evaluated the numbers and the loans were repaid. Despite such discrepancies as tripling the size of his Trump Tower penthouse, he said the financial statements were, if anything, low estimates of his fortune. Advertisement During an appellate court hearing in September, the president's lawyers said many of the case's allegations were too old, a claim they made unsuccessfully before trial. The defence also says Ms James misused a consumer protection law to sue Mr Trump and improperly policed private business transactions that were satisfactory to those involved. State attorneys said the law in question applies to fraudulent or illegal business conduct, whether it targets everyday consumers or big corporations. Though Mr Trump insists no one was harmed by the financial statements, the state says the numbers led lenders to make riskier loans than they knew, and that honest borrowers lose out when others boost their net-worth numbers. The state has argued that the verdict rested on ample evidence and that the scale of the penalty comported with Mr Trump's gains, including his profits on properties financed with the loans and the interest he saved by getting favourable terms offered to wealthy borrowers. Advertisement The civil fraud case was one of several legal obstacles for Mr Trump as he campaigned, won and started a second term as president.
Daily Mirror
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Trump's kitchen meltdown: President wags finger at Putin in Nixon copycat stunt
Donald Trump posted the image after Moscow unleashed one of its heaviest bombardments of Ukraine, in what critics say was a bid to show himself standing firm against Russia's strongman Donald Trump has sparked controversy after posting a provocative photo of himself pointing his finger at Vladimir Putin - echoing the infamous 1959 'Kitchen Debate' between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev. The US President dropped the image online today just hours after Moscow unleashed one of its heaviest bombardments of Ukraine since the war began, in what critics say was a calculated bid to show himself standing firm against Russia 's strongman. Trump's copycat pose, mirroring Nixon's clash with Khrushchev in a mock-up American kitchen during the Cold War, is being billed by allies as a symbol of defiance. But insiders claim it is also the latest sign of his growing fury at Putin's refusal to end the carnage. One well-placed source told the Mirror: 'There is no secret that Trump has become increasingly angered by Putin's lack of action. He says one thing, but then immediately carries out further attacks on Ukraine, showing he has no interest in stopping the killing. Putin is beginning to make Trump look weak, and it's wearing on the President. He's already threatened much greater sanctions against Russia if peace is not forthcoming and it's clear Trump feels time is running out.' The original 'Kitchen Debate' took place during the American National Exhibition in Moscow, when then–Vice President Nixon and Soviet Premier Khrushchev went toe-to-toe in front of cameras. What began as a row over washing machines and televisions quickly descended into a fiery exchange about capitalism versus communism and became one of the defining images of the Cold War. Now Trump is trying to cast himself in the same mould, pointing the finger at Putin as Nixon once did at Khrushchev, inviting comparisons between his standoff with Moscow and America's ideological battle with the Soviet Union. The timing of the stunt, however, raised eyebrows. Russia's overnight blitz of Ukrainian cities left dozens dead and injured, further escalating a war already grinding into its third year. Against that backdrop, Trump's photo-op was seized upon by supporters as proof of American resolve and derided by critics as a cheap gimmick. 'Trump thinks he's Nixon squaring up to Khrushchev,' one social media user wrote online. 'In reality, he's cosplaying statesmanship while bombs fall on civilians.' The Internet was split. MAGA supporters hailed the image as a show of leadership, with one supporter posting: 'This is America standing tall. Trump is showing Putin he won't be pushed around.' Others were scathing, branding it ' Instagram diplomacy' and 'a stunt that trivialises a brutal war.' Historians and foreign policy experts were equally divided. Some said the symbolism was clever, drawing on an iconic Cold War moment to remind the world of America's strength. Others warned it was simplistic, dangerous even, reducing a complex modern conflict to a recycled photo-op. 'It's a flashy gesture,' said one analyst. 'But Ukraine isn't 1959 Moscow, and Putin isn't Khrushchev. The stakes today are far higher and a finger-pointing picture won't bring the bombs to a halt.' Still, Trump's move has ensured he is once again at the centre of the Ukraine debate, positioning himself as the man prepared to stare down Putin.
Daily Mirror
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
JD Vance admits provocative words he said to Volodymyr Zelensky at tense White House visit
JD Vance says his words to Volodymyr Zelensky were merely an "ice breaker" - but they could be seen as extremely provocative JD Vance has admitted he greeted Volodymyr Zelensky with a provocative greeting when he arrived for his second visit to the White House this week. The second visit to Washington by Ukraine's president on Monday cleared the low bar of not ending up in a complete Oval Office meltdown. His first visit, back in February, saw Vance angrily berating him in front of the media, demanding he be more grateful for American support in the conflict. But it all could have gone very wrong, if Zelensky had risen to the implicit threat in Vance's "icebreaker" moment. "So President Zelensky walked into the oval office," he told Fox News. "I was chatting with him, with the President, with some of the senior Ukrainian delegation. "I said: 'Mr President, so long as you behave, I won't say anything.'" Vance added that Zelensky had "sort of chuckled a little bit and it was a good little ice breaker." While Vance insists it was merely an ice breaker, given the unprecedented blowup in the Oval Office - provoked largely by himself - during Zelensky's previous visit, his words could easily have been seen as provocative or threatening. Vance went on to say Europe should "carry the burden" and take the "lion's share" of the responsibility for safeguarding Ukraine. And Defence Undersecretary for Policy, Eldridge Colby said last night that American involvement in future peacekeeping missions would be "minimal." Following March's unpleasant spectacle, Vance and Donald Trump were branded "Putin's useful idiots" by the Vice President's own cousin. Nate Vance, the vice-president's cousin, who has reportedly fought for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, accused Trump and Vance of 'ambushing' Zelensky in order to "placate" Putin. Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Speaking to Le Figaro, Vance said: ' Donald Trump and my cousin clearly believe they can placate Vladimir Putin. They are wrong. The Russians are not about to forget our support for Ukraine." Nate, who returned to the United States in January, continued: 'We are Vladimir Putin's useful idiots." The Vice President's cousin apparently travelled to Ukraine just three weeks after the country was invaded in February 2022 and enlisted in the 'Da Vinci Wolves' battalion, which saw action in some of the conflict's bloodiest battles to date.
