Donald Trump and Charles Koch: Divided on trade, aligned on foreign policy

Both camps are vague on necessity of defending Taiwan

20250502 Charles Koch

U.S. billionaire Charles Koch was honored with the Cato Institute's Milton Friedman Prize at the Washington Hilton on May 1. (Photo by Ken Moriyasu)

KEN MORIYASU

WASHINGTON -- In a rare public appearance last Thursday, Charles Koch, the 89-year-old conservative political megadonor criticized the protectionist trade policies of the day, without mentioning the elephant in the room: U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, many in the audience were foreign policy experts belonging to the "restrainer" camp, who support Trump's disdain for overseas intervention. That camp welcomed the president's decision earlier in the day to replace national security adviser Mike Waltz, because many considered him too hawkish and in favor of striking Iran.

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