Trump’s shill

Dear editor:

Why is Tom Cotton acting as Donald Trump’s shill on China? The incumbent senator is unopposed in seeking a second six-year term in the upper chamber. One would think he need only make a few political events. Give the loyalists a helping of “happy talk.” Collect the cash from the donor class, and cruise toward career politician status. However, the senator is projecting himself as the lickspittle of the mercurial president.

In a Cotton approved anti-Biden video, a voice-over states that China is, “The greatest threat to America’s security and our values.” It goes on to allege China has ”stolen millions of our jobs.” Then accuses Joe Biden of being “soft on China.” Cotton appears in a photograph wearing his combat uniform alongside a MAGA hat adorned Trump as the voice vows, “Sen. Cotton is standing with President Trump to take on China and keep America strong.” Separately, Cotton advanced, without evidence, the notion that the coronavirus started in a biochemical lab close to an open meat market in Wuhan. And decries Chinese lack of transparency in COVID-19 reporting.

Problem is, Trump has been anything but tough on China; quite the contrary. When Xi Jinping became “president for life” Trump heaped on the praise. Saying to a private fundraiser in Florida, “Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday.” Thereafter, Politico documented 15 Trump tweets complimenting Xi on a trade deal and his work on the coronavirus. Finally, this week Trump issued an order commanding meatpacking plants in America to reopen. The order includes the Chinese billionaire owned Smithfield Foods plants in four states. Yet American health care heroes cannot get adequate supplies of PPE. So I return to my initial question. Why is the Harvard educated senator doing what he’s doing? Steve Rittenmeyer Hot Springs Village