The Trump Business Model

Floor Speech

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Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, as you know, Members of this House disagree on a whole range of topics, but one rare point of bipartisan agreement concerns the ZTE Corporation.

We have all heard complaints about the theft of trade secrets by ZTE and other major Chinese companies. We all know that when American companies are forced into licensing and disclosure agreements with Chinese State-owned enterprises, American technology is as good as stolen. We have all sat through hearings and briefings on the significant threat that ZTE and its brother, Huawei, pose to our national security. That is why it is concerning that President Trump decided to let ZTE off the hook for secretly doing business with Iran and North Korea.

Of course, this decision wasn't the only one affecting international trade that the Trump administration has made in recent weeks. He is imposing tariffs on our allies in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. His Ambassador to Germany has disgraced himself in the capital of our biggest European partner. He continues to insult our best trading partners by labeling them as security threats.

That is right, Mr. Speaker. Donald Trump is giving aid and comfort to ZTE, a known corporate enemy of America, while at the same time going out of his way to alienate our closest friends and allies around the world. But why?

I am sure it is just a fluke that Trump is allowing ZTE to resume its purchases of U.S. technology immediately following China's decision to award Ivanka Trump seven new Chinese trademarks.

I am positive it is just a coincidence that Trump cut a deal with ZTE right away after various Chinese entities offered $1 billion in financing to a resort with ties to the Trump organization. Just a coincidence.

There is nothing to see here, says the Trump administration. Don't ask any questions. Don't demand any information. Just look the other way.

How did we get here, Mr. Speaker? Where is the Grand Old Party as Donald Trump erodes our alliances, makes nice with our enemies, and ignites a global trade war?

We need to get to the bottom of whether there was a quid pro quo with China over ZTE, and we need to get to work on tough legislation to prevent China from illicitly acquiring American technology, especially technology with important defense applications and capabilities.

Bipartisan bills for this purpose with broad support from both parties have already been introduced. The Republican leadership should immediately bring those bipartisan bills to the floor for debate and consideration. That is what the American people expect. They want this body to stand up to America's adversaries and to stand up for America's laws and values.

They want us to reassert our power as a coequal branch of government.

Trump is tearing down America's alliances. We must preserve them.

Trump is sucking up to dictators and repressive regimes all around the world. We must condemn them.

More importantly, Trump and his cronies are using the Presidency to enrich themselves, and we must stop them.

Let's put an end to the Trump of business model: quid pro quo, pay to play, this for that.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the day when my Republican friends are courageous enough to say out loud what many of them whisper here in these hallways: that coddling Chinese companies like ZTE is reckless, that attacking our allies is dangerous, that using high office for personal gain is flat-out wrong.

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