Trump feeling heat over China taxes

Tampa – US President Donald Trump defended his trade policies on Tuesday in a speech in Florida and said American farmers hurt by retaliatory tariffs from China were bearing up, in a sign he is feeling some political heat on the issue.

Trump’s rally speech in Tampa contained many elements familiar to his political events. Several hecklers were ejected and the crowd at the state fairgrounds was big and loud.

Trump attacked public opinion polls, except one that said he was popular among Republicans.

The president, in Florida to campaign for Republican governor Rick Scott’s bid for a US Senate seat and US representative Ron DeSantis’ campaign for governor, said he could tame his raucous presidential style if he wanted.

“I can be more presidential than any president in history except for maybe Abe Lincoln with the big hat,” Trump said. “I admit it, Abe Lincoln is tough.”

The president spent considerable time talking about his trade policies, including tit-for-tat tariffs with China that he said would eventually pay dividends for the United States.

The tariffs are causing unease among Republican lawmakers facing tough re-election battles in November, and Trump’s focus on them suggested he was concerned about their potential political impact.