Trump made up phone call with China at G7 summit, White House aides admit

The mystery behind a confusing phone call Donald Trump claims he had with “China” has been revealed: the president simply made it up to try to boost the market.

White House aides have admitted that positive phone calls the president claimed he had had with China at last week’s G7 summit “didn’t happen the way he said they did”, according to a report from CNN.

The concession comes after Mr Trump told reporters that “China called last night our top trade people and said, ‘Let’s get back to the table’.

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“They have been hurt very badly but they understand this is the right thing to do and I have great respect for it,” the president continued. “This is a very positive development for the world. I think we are going to have a deal.”

China’s foreign ministry responded with confusion, prompting suspicions that Mr Trump may have fabricated the phone call to create the illusion that his botched dealings with China were actually going well.

Shape Created with Sketch. Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Show all 7 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies 1/7 Doctors and mothers killing babies At a rally in Wisconsin in April 2019, Mr Trump made this extraordinary claim. “The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby,” Mr Trump said. “They wrap the baby beautifully and then the doctor and the mother decide whether they will execute the baby” Getty 2/7 "China rapes our country" At a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2016, Mr Trump said this in reference to the US trade deficit with China: "we can’t continue to allow China to rape our country and that’s what they’re doing. It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world" Getty 3/7 "EU formed to take advantage of US" At a rally for the midterm elections in October 2018, Mr Trump called the EU a "brutal" alliance that "formed to take advantage of us" AFP/Getty 4/7 "I will build a wall and Mexico will pay for it" Mr Trump first made this claim at the launch of his presidential campaign back in 2015: "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words" AFP/Getty 5/7 "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain AFP/Getty 6/7 "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" Mr Trump said this in reference to his popularity during a rally in Iowa in 2016 AFP/Getty 7/7 "I wish I could punch him" Mr Trump said this in reference to a protester who was escorted out of his rally in Las Vegas on 22 February, 2016. There was often violence between protesters and supporters at Trump's campaign rallies AFP/Getty 1/7 Doctors and mothers killing babies At a rally in Wisconsin in April 2019, Mr Trump made this extraordinary claim. “The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby,” Mr Trump said. “They wrap the baby beautifully and then the doctor and the mother decide whether they will execute the baby” Getty 2/7 "China rapes our country" At a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2016, Mr Trump said this in reference to the US trade deficit with China: "we can’t continue to allow China to rape our country and that’s what they’re doing. It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world" Getty 3/7 "EU formed to take advantage of US" At a rally for the midterm elections in October 2018, Mr Trump called the EU a "brutal" alliance that "formed to take advantage of us" AFP/Getty 4/7 "I will build a wall and Mexico will pay for it" Mr Trump first made this claim at the launch of his presidential campaign back in 2015: "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words" AFP/Getty 5/7 "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain AFP/Getty 6/7 "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" Mr Trump said this in reference to his popularity during a rally in Iowa in 2016 AFP/Getty 7/7 "I wish I could punch him" Mr Trump said this in reference to a protester who was escorted out of his rally in Las Vegas on 22 February, 2016. There was often violence between protesters and supporters at Trump's campaign rallies AFP/Getty

“Regarding the phone call in the weekend, I am not aware of that,” Geng Shuang, a foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters last week. “I can tell you clearly that I haven’t heard of such a thing.”

Now, two officials have told CNN that Mr Trump “was eager to project optimism that might boost markets, and conflated comments from China’s vice premier with direct communication from the Chinese”.

The sources say the language out of the White House is meant to make up for failed promises including the delay on the president’s proposed border wall, which he is reportedly directing to be built illegally in order to satisfy supporters, as well as quelling fears over a possible recession.

His trade war with China, now running for “months longer than expected”, is yet another hindrance to his re-election efforts. Sources suggest the invented phone call is related to his attempt for an accomplishment to prop up his 2020 campaign.