United States President Donald Trump on Thursday asked China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, reported The Guardian. Trump, who is already facing an impeachment inquiry for urging Ukraine to do the same, blamed Biden for China’s “sweetheart” trade relationship with the US. Biden is in the running to become the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.

He reiterated that Ukraine should investigate Democratic Party leader and his son Hunter Biden. “China should start an investigation into the Bidens because what happened to China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine,” Trump told reporters at the White House, according to BBC. “They deal with people like Biden, where they give the son $1.5 billion and that is probably why China has such a sweetheart deal that, for so many years, they’ve been ripping off our country.”

Asked what he had told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their phone conversation on July 25, Trump said: “Well, I would think that if they were honest about it, they would start a major investigation into the Bidens.”

Trump claimed the decision before the Ukranians was simple. “They should investigate the Bidens,” he said again. “So I would say that President Zelensky, if it were me, I would recommend that they start an investigation into the Bidens because nobody has any doubt that they weren’t crooked. That was a crooked deal one hundred percent.”

Later in the day, the president tweeted that it was his duty to investigate alleged corruption “and that would include asking, or suggesting, other countries to help us out”.

The US president has criticised his political rivals and compared the impeachment inquiry to a coup. “As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a coup, intended to take away the power of the people, their vote, their freedoms, their second amendment, religion, military, border wall, and their god-given rights as a citizen of the United States of America,” he tweeted.

The president’s controversial call with Zelensky came to light after a whistleblower leaked its transcript. The whistleblower, who is reportedly an intelligence agent, has accused Trump of soliciting foreign interference for his personal and political benefit.

Hours after Trump’s latest remarks, United States special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker resigned. He will reportedly depose before congressional committees along with former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.

Also read: How Ukraine and its president view the Donald Trump impeachment controversy

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