House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Tuesday morning dismissed concern about Donald Trump’s unprecedented call last week with the president of Taiwan.
Ryan said it was “prudent for him to take congratulatory calls.” Ryan added that he himself has spoken with the president of Taiwan, and that outrage over Trump’s call with the Taiwanese leader was “much ado about nothing.”
The speaker said that it would have been a “snub” had Trump not taken the call with the president of Taiwan.
Trump’s call with the president of Taiwan last week, which had reportedly been in the work for weeks, prompted a warning from China.
“It must be pointed out that there is only one China in the world,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. “We urge the relevant side in the U.S. to adhere to the ‘one China’ policy, abide by the pledges in the three joint China-U.S. communiques, and handle issues related to Taiwan carefully and properly to avoid causing unnecessary interference to the overall China-U.S. relationship.”
Since Trump’s calls, U.S. officials have reached out to China to stress America’s commitment to the One-China policy, according to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.