But when commenting on the immediate risks the US could face, the Republican nominee said “nuclear warming” was among his biggest concerns.
“We have major nuclear [powers] and, you know, probably some others are getting there, and that’s very dangerous. That’s where you need a strong American president, because you just, you don’t want to have this proliferation,” Trump said.
“China has much less than us right now, but they’re going to catch us sooner than people think … They’ll end up catching up, maybe even passing [us].”
“Can you imagine that? You know Chairman Xi very well. Can you imagine her and him negotiating or even standing together? She’s terrible,” Trump mocked.
The billionaire said that while he does not want to “vilify the oil and gas industry and the people who have worked very hard in those industries … but over time, we want to move to a sustainable energy economy.”
“Eventually you do run out of … oil and gas. It’s not there forever, it’s not infinite. I think if you just keep increasing the CO2 in the atmosphere long enough, eventually it simply gets uncomfortable to breathe,” he argued.
Musk did not address Trump’s constant promises to impose taxes on imported Chinese electric cars.
Yet in January, Musk warned Chinese carmakers would “demolish” global competition without trade barriers. And later he criticised the Biden administration’s tariffs on EVs. In May, the US unveiled additional tariffs of 100 per cent on cars exported from China.
The White House in a statement justified the decision by arguing that “China’s unfair trade practices are carefully targeted at strategic sectors”.
“Neither Tesla nor I asked for these tariffs,” said Musk at the time. “In fact, I was surprised when they were announced. Things that inhibit freedom of exchange or distort the market are not good.
“Tesla competes quite well in the market in China with no tariffs and no differential support. I’m in favour of no tariffs.”
BYD’s battery sales in the second quarter of this year jumped by nearly 21 per cent, reaching 426,039 units sold, according to CNBC. In contrast, Tesla lost market share over the same period, falling by 4.8 per cent with 443,956 vehicles sold.
For his part, Trump has fiercely criticised electric cars. In March, the Republican wrote on his account on Truth Social, his social media company, that autoworkers would face a “bloodbath” if he did not win re-election and impose additional tariffs against China.
However, at the Republican National Convention last month during which he formally accepted his party’s nomination, Trump moderated his stance on the issue.
But Trump left open the possibility of exempting Chinese companies that build factories on American soil, saying: “Those plants are going to be built in the United States and our people are going to man those plants.”
Vikram Sharma is a globe-trotting journalist with a global perspective on international events. His articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing insights into the world’s most pressing challenges.