Pence Criticizes Trump's China Policy on Meet the Press
Former Vice President Mike Pence faulted the administration's approach to Beijing in a Sunday NBC interview.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in International Trade
Live Poll
Should the U.S. take a harder line against China?
Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized Donald Trump's China policy in an interview with NBC's Meet the Press that aired Sunday. Pence's remarks come as Trump prepares for a trilateral meeting with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China.
Why it matters
The criticism highlights a debate within the Republican Party over how hard to press Beijing on trade, technology and security. For U.S. readers, the policy direction shapes tariffs, technology export rules and relations with Taiwan.
The first Trump administration imposed $250 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods in one year, a figure cited in the interview. The source does not report how that total compares with tariff levels under later administrations, and the effect of the tariffs on the current trade relationship is not addressed.
The players
Mike Pence
Mike Pence served as the 48th Vice President of the United States under Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, serving a second term after his first term from 2017 to 2021.
Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang is the co-founder and chief executive of Nvidia, a semiconductor company known for its advanced AI chips.
Nvidia
Nvidia is a U.S. semiconductor company that designs graphics processors widely used in artificial intelligence computing.
The details
In the Meet the Press interview, moderated by Kristen Welker, Pence cited the first Trump administration's tariffs and its military buildup in the Asia-Pacific region. He also criticized the second administration for allowing TikTok to keep operating in the United States, delaying weapons sales to Taiwan and loosening export controls on advanced Nvidia microchips.
Timeline
September 2026: Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.
Early November 2026: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was accused of an affair with an alleged Chinese spy, and apologized for being unfaithful to his wife.
Sunday, November 15, 2026: Pence's interview aired on NBC's Meet the Press.
Thursday, November 19, 2026: Trump, Xi and Putin are scheduled to meet at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China.
Big Picture
Pence's critique echoes the 2018 Section 301 tariffs that followed the investigation into Chinese technology transfer practices. It frames the second administration's looser chip export rules and delayed Taiwan arms sales as a departure from that earlier hard line.
Tariffs and export controls on chips and technology can change prices for consumers and the cost of electronics. Shifts in U.S. policy toward China and Taiwan can also affect business planning for companies that depend on those markets.
The takeaway
Policy debates over China often turn on trade-offs between tariffs, technology access and security commitments. Readers tracking the issue can watch how the APEC meeting in Shenzhen treats these points.
What happens next
Trump, Xi and Putin are scheduled to meet at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
Further reading
For broader context on tariffs and trade disputes, explore International Trade coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mail Online.
Live Poll
Should the U.S. take a harder line against China?
