Trump vows to revoke China's trade privileges, make country pay for COVID-19 pandemic

Trump spoke days after the Energy Department said it had revised its position on how the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that it likely was accidentally leaked from the Wuhan Institute Virology.

By Joseph Weber

Published: March 4, 2023 7:17pm

Updated: March 4, 2023 8:02pm

Former President Trump on Saturday at the CPAC event said if reelected he would revoke China’s trade privileges and make the county pay for the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I will revoke China's most favored nations trade status," he said. "I will have a four-year plan to phase out all Chinese imports of essential goods and gain total independence from China. We have to do it. We have to do it. We will hold China accountable for unleashing" COVID-19.

Trump spoke days after the Energy Department said it had revised its position on how the COVID pandemic, stating that it likely was accidentally leaked from China's Wuhan Institute Virology.