Trump Says He Could Intervene in Huawei Case

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is out on bail in Vancouver—and whether her next destination is her home in China or a cell in the US could be up to President Trump. In an interview Tuesday with Reuters, Trump said he would consider intervening with the Justice Department in the case it was good for trade deals. "Whatever's good for this country, I would do," he said. "If I think it’s good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made—which is a very important thing—what’s good for national security—I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary." Chinese officials have warned that the US and Canada could face retaliation for the arrest of Meng, who was detained Dec. 1 in Canada at the request of US authorities.

If Canadian authorities consent, Meng could be extradited to the US to face fraud charges related to the alleged violation of sanctions against Iran. Trump said that he has yet to speak to China's President Xi Jinping on the matter, but White House officials have contacted Chinese officials and the Justice Department. Trump's claim that he would intervene to help trade deals contradicts statements made by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who called the case a "criminal justice matter" unrelated to trade talks, Politico reports. In China, Trump's remarks have raised suspicions that Meng's arrest was politically motivated, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. (China has reportedly detained a former Canadian diplomat.)