"I hate to say this, but it would just get portrayed as being weak on China," he said. "The whole China thing is so toxic. We can't seem to get past this whole

"I hate to say this, but it would just get portrayed as being weak on China," he said. "The whole China thing is so toxic. We can't seem to get past this whole idea of who's toughest on China." Important to get off this track but domestic political concerns override what is good at national and international level.