Former president donald trump said on Saturday that the Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders contacted him after last week’s assassination attempt.
“And I got along very well with President Xi. He’s a great guy, he wrote me a beautiful note the other day when he heard what happened,” Trump told the crowd at a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Most leaders have done this.”
The former president did not specify which other leaders contacted him.
Trump has long boasted of a warm relationship with Xi. In 2020, while serving as president, Trump said he and the Chinese president “love each other,” despite accusing the country of engaging in “predatory practices” in its trade relationship with the US. he harshly criticized the country for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has long faced criticism for praising authoritarian leaders, including Xi. For example, he has met several times in recent months with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
In February, Trump said he was open to increasing tariffs on Chinese exports and said he didn’t think Xi would want him to return to the White House, although he said Xi “was a great friend of mine during my time in office.”
On Saturday, Trump was joined at his rally by his newly named running mate, JD Vance, and appeared without the large white bandage he previously wore over his ear.
Anusha Mathur contributed to this report.
