Trump Strategist Faces Factual Challenge During CNN Interview

In a tense exchange on CNN’s NewsNight, Republican strategist Kristin Davison faced sharp criticism after suggesting American soybean farmers should continue supporting former President Trump despite significant financial losses resulting from his previous trade policies with China.

The heated debate erupted when Davison, defending Trump’s approach to trade negotiations, claimed farmers would “run through a brick wall” for the former president. “I don’t think anyone at this table or anyone else could say ‘I know how to do that without any tariff or cost rising,’ or anything like that,” Davison said, referencing Trump’s longstanding campaign promise to “put American workers first.”

Speaking about Trump’s recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Davison expressed confidence in the negotiation team. “I can’t think of anyone else who would rather be sitting there than Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Secretary Bessent. I mean, that’s a really smart table,” she stated before suggesting that struggling farmers simply need to “let him cook.”

The remarks prompted an immediate rebuke from fellow panelist Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations, who interjected bluntly: “The soybean farmers are getting screwed by Trump’s trade war. That’s the reason they’re not selling soybeans.”

Host Abby Phillip reinforced Boot’s point, challenging Davison directly: “They’re going out of business. What do you mean they’re going to run through a brick wall? They are literally saying we are not going to be able to sustain getting zero assurances from China.”

When Davison urged patience and faith in Trump’s negotiation skills, Boot delivered perhaps the sharpest criticism of the segment, comparing Trump’s approach to “the arsonist saying ‘I’m going to put out the fire that I started.'”

The exchange highlights the ongoing consequences of the U.S.-China trade war initiated during Trump’s first term. For American soybean farmers, the impact has been particularly devastating. China, which imports approximately 60 percent of global soybean production, had essentially boycotted U.S. soybeans as retaliation against Trump’s tariff policies, causing significant market disruption in America’s agricultural heartland.

Agricultural economists estimate that U.S. soybean exports to China—which once represented a market worth over $14 billion annually—plummeted by more than 70 percent during the height of trade tensions, forcing many family farms into precarious financial situations.

There are signs of potential improvement, however. Ahead of Wednesday’s summit between Trump and Xi, China purchased three U.S. soybean cargoes as a goodwill gesture—its first American soybean purchases this year, according to Reuters.

Following what Trump described as an “amazing” meeting, he announced on his Truth Social platform that China will begin purchasing “tremendous” amounts of agricultural products. “President Xi authorized China to begin the purchase of massive amounts of Soybeans, Sorghum, and other Farm products,” Trump wrote, adding that farmers “will be very happy!” with the deal.

China’s commerce ministry has acknowledged in a statement that the two countries agreed to expand agricultural trade, though it stopped short of specifically mentioning soybeans or providing details on purchase volumes or timeframes.

Agricultural market analysts remain cautious about these developments, noting that previous trade agreements have sometimes fallen short of their promised targets. The American Soybean Association, representing over 500,000 U.S. soybean farmers, has consistently advocated for more stable, long-term trade relationships rather than the volatility of recent years.

For many farmers in key agricultural states like Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota, the question remains whether new trade commitments will materialize quickly enough to offset years of market disruption and financial strain—a critical economic issue in regions that often play decisive roles in national elections.