Trump: If Biden wins, Americans will have to learn Chinese
Duolingo stockholders, rejoice!
If you've been wondering how to fill your spare time in quarantine, might we suggest taking up Chinese — because according to President Trump, there's a chance you'll have to learn it come November.
In an interview with conservative talk-show host Hugh Hewitt, Trump repeatedly blasted China, saying the country is pulling for a win from former Vice President Joe Biden.
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"If I don't win the election, China will own the United States," Trump claimed. "You're gonna have to learn to speak Chinese."
Trump, who once had a self-described "great" relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, said he is "no longer very good" with the leader "because of what they did with the China virus," by which he means the coronavirus. The president also asserted China has had "the worst year in 67 years" because the U.S. "tariffed the hell out of them."
U.S. intelligence officials did say last week that Russia and China have lined up on opposite sides of the upcoming presidential election, with the latter reportedly hoping "that President Trump — whom Beijing sees as unpredictable — does not win re-election." On the flip side, Russia is reportedly using a "range of measures" to take down Biden. Luckily, Duolingo carries Russian, too.
The rest of the interview contained similar grumbling, with the president bashing the "nasty" NBA, baselessly claiming we're "getting to an end" on coronavirus, and suggesting Biden is the "dumbest" U.S. senator.
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Marianne is The Week’s Social Media Editor. She is a native Tennessean and recent graduate of Ohio University, where she studied journalism and political science. Marianne has previously written for The Daily Beast, The Crime Report, and The Moroccan Times.
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