Trump said on Sunday that he was working with Chinese President Xi Jinping to help ZTE Corp revive jobs after the company ran afoul of U.S. economic sanctions on Iran by selling telecom equipment made with U.S. components.
His decision angered lawmakers from both parties, who said it looked like he was backing down ahead of high-stakes trade talks this week in Washington between the United States and China.
“Shocked. I think it shocked a lot of people in the president’s own cabinet,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, speaking to reporters.
