Bennet, Cortez Masto, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Protect U.S. National Security Ahead of Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Oct 29, 2025| Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) joined U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and six Senate Democratic colleagues to urge President Donald Trump to protect U.S. national security - and that of our allies - ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30, 2025.

"Ahead of your meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday, we write to urge you not to negotiate away America and our allies' national security," wrote Bennet, Cortez Masto, and the senators. "The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a fundamental threat to U.S. national security, economic prosperity, and global leadership […] Across multiple administrations and congresses, there has been bipartisan support for tools that safeguard our national security, including export controls and investment screening mechanisms on critical technologies, as well as partnerships with trusted allies."

The senators' letter comes after the Trump Administration made significant concessions to China, including weakening U.S. export controls on semiconductor chips, scuttling a routine transit in the United States by Taiwan's President, delaying some arms sales to Taiwan, and offering minimal detail on how the Administration will comply with the bipartisan law requiring TikTok's sale to a U.S. or allied company to limit the Chinese government's influence over the app.

"We are deeply disturbed by your recent statements and actions, which indicate that you are all too willing to sacrifice these vital national security tools for empty promises and illusory 'wins'," continued the senators.

In their letter, the senators also urged the Trump Administration to reject the Chinese government's efforts to relax national security restrictions on Chinese investments in the United States, protect the Treasury Department's Outbound Investment Security Program, which was designed to ensure that U.S. firms do not contribute to the development of sensitive technologies in countries like China, and deny Chinese President Xi Jinping's potential efforts to extract a formal statement that the United States "opposes" Taiwan's independence.

"You have expressed confidence that you will leave South Korea this week with a 'really fair and really great trade deal'. We urge you to understand that any deal that sacrifices America or our allies' national security is neither," concluded the senators.

In March 2025, Bennet, Cortez Masto, and bipartisan colleagues introduced the FIGHT China Act to protect U.S. national security by limiting American investments in certain technologies in China, such as artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, quantum technologies, and hypersonics. In August 2025, Bennet and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaksa) introduced legislation to deter China's aggression by strengthening security cooperation between the United States and our Indo-Pacific allies and partners. In June, Bennet and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced the Quad Space Act to strengthen space cooperation among the four members of the Quad to address shared challenges, such as China's dangerous behavior in space. Additionally, Bennet recently introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster Taiwan's self-defense and international standing and strengthen the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Bennet and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) lead the Americas Act, the only major strategic economic plan to counter China's geopolitical and economic influence in the Western Hemisphere.

In addition to Bennet and Cortez Masto, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Chris Coons (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) signed the letter.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear President Trump:

Ahead of your meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday, we write to urge you not to negotiate away America and our allies' national security.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a fundamental threat to U.S. national security, economic prosperity, and global leadership. China engages in unfair and coercive economic practices that directly hurt American workers and businesses, including targeting industries for global domination, flooding the world with excess capacity of goods to undermine markets, and illegally forcing companies to hand over intellectual property and technology. Across multiple administrations and congresses, there has been bipartisan support for tools that safeguard our national security, including export controls and investment screening mechanisms on critical technologies, as well as partnerships with trusted allies.

We are deeply disturbed by your recent statements and actions, which indicate that you are all too willing to sacrifice these vital national security tools for empty promises and illusory "wins."

In July, your Administration reversed its position and lifted export controls on artificial intelligence chips that the CCP can use to enable autonomous weapons systems, intelligence surveillance platforms, and rapid advances in battlefield decision-making. At that time, members of your cabinet stated publicly that this policy change was a "negotiating chip" offered in return for China lifting its own export restrictions on rare earths. Weeks later, your Administration reportedly told Taiwan's President to cancel a planned stopover in the United States over fears that such a visit would upset China, even though such visits were common in previous administrations, including during your first term. And you continue to flout bipartisan law on TikTok's operations in the United States, offering its Chinese owner reprieve after reprieve, including a vague Executive Order last month that provided little detail on how any eventual TikTok deal will protect Americans' data security, limit CCP influence, and fulfill national security requirements under law.

America's export controls, investment safeguards, and our longstanding security partnerships must not be on the negotiating table. There has been reporting that China is seeking a relaxation in national security restrictions on their investment in the U.S. as part of the ongoing negotiations. You have previously acknowledged that "investment at all costs is not always in the national interest." We urge you to remember this and not lift security protections or hamper the vital work of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States in a push for a deal to get out of the mess of a trade war you have started with China. Similarly, at a time when Congress is working to codify outbound investment rules, it is essential that you not handcuff the work of the Treasury Department's Outbound Investment Security Program. This program was designed to ensure that U.S. firms do not contribute to the development of sensitive technologies in countries of concern, and the Treasury Department must be directed to aggressively implement that program. Lastly, there is reporting that President Xi is seeking a formal statement that the United States "opposes" Taiwan's independence. Taiwan is a thriving democracy, an important trading partner, and a critical partner in upholding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and America's support for Taiwan should not be on the agenda for your meeting with President Xi, as has been reported.

You have expressed confidence that you will leave South Korea this week with a "really fair and really great trade deal." We urge you to understand that any deal that sacrifices America or our allies' national security is neither.

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