WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump dismissed concerns over Chinese hacking, intellectual property theft, and recent arrests involving pathogen smuggling, calling such actions common in global politics.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said, “That’s the way the world works,” and suggested the US engages in similar tactics. He downplayed the charges against two Chinese nationals accused of smuggling a toxic wheat-damaging fungus, questioning whether it was state-sponsored.

On US-China relations, Trump said both countries are "getting along well" despite past trade tensions, and emphasized that China is paying significant tariffs. He welcomed the recent trade progress, including agreements on rare earth shipments and tariff reductions.