CNN's John Berman struggled to make sense of Donald Trump Friday as the president rambled into a wide-ranging news conference aboard Air Force One.
Trump held a press gaggle upon departure from a state visit in China, and reporters peppered him with questions about his talks with Xi Jinping on Iran, Taiwan and other major topics.
"[He] made something of anannouncement there that I thinkunderscores what's happenedover the last few days, and thiswas on arms sales to Taiwan," Berman said. "There is a proposal before himfor $14 billion worth of newarms sales to Taiwan. Aftermeeting with the Chinese leaderXi Jinping, President Trump sayshe has made no commitment onthis. He would not commit tothose $14 billion in sales that Congress very much wants to see, the State Department very muchcalled for."
"The president wouldnot commit to it," Berman added, "and heacknowledged it was discussedwith the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which goes against a1982 agreement between the United States and Taiwan, and bythe way, thank God for David Sanger of the New York Times on board that flight, pressing the president onseveral fronts. But Taiwan, justone of the many issues discussedon board."
"CNN News Central" co-host Kate Bolduan then turned the conversation to trade and tariffs.
"The president continuesto push that that there are bigdeals and big commitments thathave been made," Bolduan said. "The one that hasbeen announced is that that China is going to be buying 200 Boeing jets. Question has beenalso, he says, billions andbillions of dollars of soybeansthey're going to buy. But thepresident has not said what thatcommitment is. Soybean futuresfell on the news of the lack ofdetail on it, and the presidentalso saying that was asked ifthey were able to extend thetruce on the trade war with China. The president said wedidn't discuss tariffs, itwasn't brought up."
China has not formally responded to any of Trump's claims, noted co-host Sara Sidner, and she flagged one of the president's claims about the talks.
"He talked about Xitelling him that America is thehottest country in the world,saying that, you know, thecountry was doing really poorlyunder Biden and that it wasmiraculous, a virtual miracle, as the president put it," Sidner said. "He saidthat Xi said Trump has doneand, I mean, none of us haveseen any of reporting fromthere. That indicates that thatis what Xi said, at leastpublicly, and I think he said hesaid it publicly."
"I will note," Berman interjected, "it doesn't soundlike the kind of language that Xi Jinping of China uses. 'America is the hottest countryin the world,' but we'll see ifthere is a response from Chinaon that."