帕内塔：特朗普与习近平峰会错失良机

We've been talking about deliverables for the last two days, or lack thereof. Am I using the right metric? How are you seeing this visit? On the scale of success to failure? Well, it's hard not to view it as a missed opportunity. Uh, because generally, in my experience, when a president meets with a, uh, another world leader, uh, the purpose of those meetings is not just, uh, to have red carpets and a state dinner, uh, and to have events.

The whole purpose of it is to deal with issues that divide the two parties and try to resolve those issues. In other words, try to get something done. Uh, and my impression here is that there was an awful lot of pomp, uh, but not a lot of substance. Uh, when it came to the issues that are of great concern between the United States and China. Yeah. Well, I'm going to ask you about a couple of those issues, but I'm just compelled by the images that we're showing on Bloomberg TV and on YouTube.

The president took XI Jinping, the communist leader of China, on a tour of the white House, went around town as well, but at one point brought him on Marine One, the president's helicopter, after showing off the new helipad on the South lawn. Uh, of course, he offered tours to members of the Chinese delegation to the ballroom that's being constructed. Is this a security concern? Secretary uh uh, you know, I think, uh, the president was running out of things to do.

Uh, and so he, he basically decided that, uh, he was going to kind of take him on a tour, uh, of the white House, uh, the the, uh, uh, the helicopter pad that, uh, was, was created there, uh, the work on the ballroom, uh, you know, uh, looking at, uh, uh, at the Rose garden, etc.. Uh, and look, again, those are things that are usually done with a busy visiting dignitary. But the main reason you have these summits is to do a lot of preparation on issues, so that ultimately, the two leaders can face the press and face the world and say, yes, we've had some differences, but we were able to get this done.

We were able to get an agreement on I. We were willing to get an agreement on trade. We were willing to get an agreement on Iran. Uh, but none of that happened here. And, uh, I'm just afraid that, uh, getting to know each other a little better is great. Getting down to business is better. I want to ask you about some issues, including Taiwan. We were struck by the words of President XI here, who urged the president essentially to reject the idea of an independent Taiwan.

Uh, presuming that we were we were reaffirming our stand against it, which is, of course, not the position of the United States. Uh, did she move the goalpost on this? And does that speak to the timeline that he might have in mind? Well, I hope that the president has not changed our position with regards to, uh, Taiwan and protecting their democracy. Uh, we we've made very clear, uh, that, uh, ah, that Taiwan's independence and democracy ought to be protected.

Uh, and that, uh, you know, if necessary, the United States would come to the aid of Taiwan if that were the case. China has made clear that by 2027, uh, the Chinese army, uh, should be ready to take on Taiwan if necessary. Uh, and for that reason, you know, my my sense is there may have been some talk about Taiwan, but the president did not send a very clear message that Taiwan should not be interfered with and that the United States would, would help protect Taiwan.

That's the kind of message a strong leader would send, in order to make clear to XI that he cannot take advantage of Taiwan. Well, I, I presume that statement could still be coming from the administration. Secretary, we have not seen it yet. We hope. And I'd like to ask you about the situation with Iran, because this did come up according to the president, and she did urge for peace in the Iran war. We've got a new deal on the table, reportedly of maybe two weeks, reopen the strait and get talks back underway.

Do you think that this one might be any different than the last. You know, I think we all hope and pray that that's the case. Yeah. But we we've been around this corner a number of times and it's went nowhere. Uh, we've been promised deals. We've been promised that, uh, ultimately, the Straits would open, uh, that it would be resolved. Uh, and it doesn't happen. And I'm a little concerned right now that the president who said nothing's going to happen till the midterms, could very well, uh, have developed a real problem here, because why should Iran come to any kind of agreement until the midterms, in fact, happen?

But, you know, I hope that's not the case. I hope they're able to work out an agreement. But I have to tell you, I am very skeptical about getting a really enforceable peace agreement before the midterms. Well, you know, in the meantime, we've got record high diesel, six and a half dollars. Gas prices are looking too hot either. Depending on where you live, you have four and a half dollars maybe approaching five by the time we get to the midterms.

I didn't bring you on to talk about electoral politics, but you were a member of Congress and you were a white House chief of staff. Do you believe the narrative, Mr. Secretary, that Republican fortunes have dwindled to such an extent in the past 2 to 3 weeks that Democrats take both the House and the Senate? I've been through enough elections, uh, not to, uh, uh, put my money on the table, uh, behind any kind of, uh, uh, firm prediction.

Uh, I think it's clear that, uh, because of the situation with the economy, the situation with the war, the fact that prices are going up dramatically, the fact that most people are struggling just to make it from day to day. Um, I don't think there's any question, uh, that, um, but that there is a real sense that the Democrats could very well take the House of Representatives. Uh, and now there are some that are saying that there's a chance in the Senate as well.

Uh, I still think, uh, that there's going to be some competitive races out there. Uh, I, I'm not I'm not willing to say it's over. I think there's a lot of work that needs to be done. Uh, and my sense is that, uh, the American people understand the power they have to vote and to make an impact on the situation that they're concerned about. That is probably the biggest thing in the favor of Democrats right now is the fact that the American people are very concerned and very angry about the war.