Trump Accuses China of Using Trade to Target Election, Threatens Retaliation

U.S. President Donald Trump holds an Oval Office meeting on preparations for hurricane Florence at the White House in Washington D.C. on September 11, 2018. Leah Millis/Reuters

WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 18 threatened further retaliation against China if Beijing targets U.S. agricultural or industrial workers amid a trade dispute, and accused China of trying to sway the U.S. election by targeting farmers.

Trump made the accusations in a pair of Twitter posts as the two sides launched new trade tariffs in an escalating trade dispute.