The former director of the National Economic Council explains to Republicans in the House an analysis that Trump was a "narcissist out of 10"

Tensions between the United States and China are exacerbated by the intensification of the trade war between the two major world powers. On Monday, China announced $ 60 billion in US export tariffs in retaliation for Trump's actions last week to increase existing duties imposed on Chinese products last year – and to launch the process of adding rights to almost everything China sends to the United States. Trump also said Monday that he would meet Xi at the G20 summit next month.

Lindsey said in his presentation that Xi had been found to be equally narcissistic, but was in a different sphere from Trump's, as he was also considered a "Machiavellian" who treated his deputies and his country badly, which Lindsey did not. Did not do it. attribute t to Trump. The goal was essentially to structure the conversation as "let's see who these two people are," the sources said.

But Lindsey has widely supported Trump's position in trade negotiations, the sources added, and spent most of his time talking about the two economies – and the idea that, although Trump pushed things to a instead, the United States has never been before, it is not tenable for him to back down now.

He went on to say that the US economy was in a better position and that, if the fight were to last a long time, the United States was better able to maintain its position than China. He noted that China would certainly not back down and would be willing to "fight against the carpet" in the fight, but that the United States would be able to survive them.

The sources said the results would be the hardest, but at this stage of the process, it is necessary to complete the negotiations – and that the US is in a better position to win.

A Lindsey representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House declined to comment on this story.