U.S. President Donald Trump called on China as well as Ukraine to investigate his potential 2020 election rival Joe Biden, doubling down as Democrats began an impeachment inquiry against him.
Facing possible removal from office precisely for seeking foreign help against his political challengers, Mr. Trump said he wanted Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to go after Biden.
“I would say that President Zelensky, if it were me, I would recommend that they start an investigation into the Bidens,” Mr. Trump said. “If they were honest about it they would start a very simple investigation on the Bidens,” he said.
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“Likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens, because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine.” Asked if he would ask Mr. Xi to do the same, he replied, “It's certainly something we can start thinking about.”
Mr. Biden’s campaign called Mr. Trump’s comments “a grotesque choice of lies over truth and self over the country.”