Senator Markwayne Mullin pushed back against claims that President Trump governs through chaos, arguing instead that the president is executing a deliberate strategy aimed at protecting American jobs and countering global economic threats, particularly from China.
Mullin made the remarks during an exchange with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, who addressed criticism frequently leveled at the president by political opponents and media commentators.
“Senator Mullen, you’ve heard people accuse the president of chaos. I see a plan. You know him personally, when the cameras are away, is there a plan?” Kilmeade asked.
Mullin responded by strongly affirming that President Trump’s actions are intentional and strategic.
“Yes, absolutely. Brian, look what the President is doing,” Mullin said.
He rejected the notion that the United States has been reacting aimlessly on the world stage.
“Here, for years, we’ve been accused of playing checkers. Why China is playing chess, the president has completely taken the chess board off and saying, we’re not even playing games anymore,” Mullin said.
The Oklahoma senator pointed to President Trump’s early trade actions as evidence of a clear plan to reset international economic relationships that he said had disadvantaged the United States for decades.
Mullin cited the administration’s decision to revisit and renegotiate tariffs as a turning point.
“Let’s look back at what he first did when he went in and he started redoing the tariffs and saying, You’re not taking advantage of us anymore,” Mullin said.
He explained that the administration’s approach sent a clear message to foreign governments and corporations seeking to benefit from American markets without fair reciprocity.
“If you want to do business inside the United States, you’re going to pay a price. If you’re going to steal our jobs, you’re going to pay a price,” Mullin said.
“If you’re going to try to undercut us. We’re going to go after those countries, and we’re going to put sanctions on them.”
Mullin argued that these moves were not isolated trade disputes but part of a broader strategy aimed at countering China’s long-term economic ambitions.
He specifically referenced Beijing’s global infrastructure campaign as a central concern.
“It’s what and what that was, was a direct hit to the Belt and Road Initiative,” Mullin said.
He described the Chinese program as a serious threat not only to the United States but to the global economic order.
“And mind you, the Belt and Road Initiative that China had in place was to cause all roads to lead in and out of China, which is a huge economic threat to the United States and the rest of the world,” Mullin added.
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