CONFUSING

Trump Vows to Help Chinese Firm That Violated U.S. Sanctions

The Commerce Department “has been instructed” to help ZTE just weeks after announcing new penalties against the company.

For all his tough talk on sanctions, President Trump on Sunday promised to help a Chinese phone maker found guilty of violating U.S. sanctions and lying to investigators to “get back into business, fast.” Trump took to Twitter to make the announcement, saying he is working with Chinese President Xi Jinping to help ZTE. “Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” Trump said. The Chinese company was hit with a $1.9 billion penalty early last year for shipping telecoms equipment to Iran and North Korea in violation of U.S. sanctions. ZTE initially reached an agreement with the U.S. government on the charges but last month was slapped with new penalties for allegedly lying to investigators. The Commerce Department accused the company of engaging in an “extensive conspiracy” to evade U.S. laws and banned all American companies from buying or selling its products for the next seven years.