The Trump administration should try to bring in its allies to push back on China through trade, as it is the "main enemy" and must be contained, former Rep. Pete King told Newsmax on Sunday.
"I think it's the right thing to be focusing on China," the New York Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend." "I think we should also try to bring in allies, whether it's Vietnam, whether it's Australia, whether it's the Philippines, Japan, in that region to work with us against China or others."
He added that "China is the main enemy here... not just an adversary. They are an enemy."
President Donald Trump last week put a 90-day pause on tariffs on most countries while keeping China at 145%, but backed off on smartphones, computers, and other devices, and King said he thinks the president is "doing the right thing."
"The main focus has to be on China," he said. "They are our main adversary in the world today."
Former Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., also on Sunday's program, said it's important to "look at the long play" when it comes to tariffs.
"That's what Donald Trump did in his first term, and as a result, we had one of the largest booms in our economy ever," said Kingston. "I believe that's what's going to happen here. It's going to have to settle down. Everybody, particularly the White House, knows that. That's why they put a 90-day pause on some countries."
King commented on a judge's ruling that Trump's administration can proceed with its deportation case against Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, saying he hopes the case will move quickly through the court system.
"This one is a clear case where you have no absolute right to have a student visa," he said. "Just think of during World War II, if somebody was over here with a student visa going around campaigning for Adolf Hitler [or for] Japan. This is disgraceful."
At the same time, King said that he thinks the Justice Department should cooperate with the Supreme Court's order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who the government has acknowledged was deported in error to El Salvador.
"If the wrong person was deported, then they should try to bring him back," King said. "The courts apparently feel that he should be brought back. I think, you know, this is not the battle to die over. I think, to me, we have so many good cases, so many valid cases, I don't want to give them a false victory on this one."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.