WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump is returning from a weeklong trip to Asia boasting of trade deals with China and South Korea to boost cooperation in the region but also having threatened to resume testing nuclear weapons after a decadeslong moratorium to keep pace with military rivals.
The second-term Republican's trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea showcased numerous meetings with foreign leaders. The pageantry included Trump receiving another pledge of support for the Nobel Peace Prize from Japan's new prime minister and the highest state honor with a gold crown from South Korea.
But the trip coincided with a federal government shutdown at home that will become the longest in history on Nov. 5. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, called the trade negotiations over tariffs "a failure" on social media that hurt farmers and manufacturers. Trump responded on social media that the criticism was "almost treasonous!!!"
Here are seven takeaways of the most important moments during Trump's trip − and a look at where tariffs and international relations are headed:
Trump announced Oct. 30 that he had reached an agreement with President Xi Jinping that China would resume being the largest customer for U.S. soybeans, curb the export of chemicals to make fentanyl and lift restrictions on exporting rare-earth minerals that are crucial for electronics like cell phones and computers.
