Help Trump Campaign, US Ambassador To China Resigns

JAKARTA - United States (US) Ambassador to China Terry Branstad left office ahead of the US presidential election in November. The resignation of the former governor of Iowa was at the request of US President Donald Trump, who asked him to help campaign.

Branstad's departure from China is not surprising because he intends to only serve as Ambassador once. But lately, as reported by CNN, Branstad plans to remain in China until the US presidential election is over. The plans changed when Trump asked Branstad to return to the US and campaign for him after more than three years living in Beijing.

The news comes amid rising tensions between the US and China on several fronts. The Chinese government announced that it would impose unspecified restrictions on diplomats and senior US personnel in China. This was done after the US imposed similar measures to the Chinese diplomatic corps on September 3.

Branstad has been friends with Chinese President Xi Jinping since the 1980s, although his role as ambassador has gotten heavier in recent months as US-China relations have deteriorated amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In the end, Branstad was never able to use personal relationships to benefit bilateral relations.

Terry Branstad has a son named Eric Branstad who is a senior adviser to Trump Victory 2020 as well as a joint fundraising committee between the campaign and the Republican National Committee. During a phone call with Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst, Trump said Terry Branstad and Eric Branstad would strengthen his campaign.

"Eric Branstad is amazing and you know, Eric's dad is coming back from China because he wants to campaign," Trump said by telephone.

A source familiar with the move said Trump wanted Branstad to return to the US to help with the campaign in Iowa. Branstad has also alerted Trump in recent months as they discussed leaving office. Branstad wants to remain in his role through agriculture. The Trump campaign team believes that Branstad can make an impact on voters in Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, and even Minnesota.

"He's still doing well in the Midwest. He has the name and is probably the best person to talk about Chinese influence," said a source close to the Trump campaign team.

Biden and Trump have a tough competition in Iowa, according to polls over the past few months. Trump won about 10 percent of the vote in 2016. It is unclear whether someone told Trump that Branstad should come back and campaign or Trump came up with the idea himself.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Branstad for his services to the American people as US Ambassador to China.

"The President (Donald Trump) chose Ambassador Branstad because his decades of experience dealing with China made him the best person to represent the Government and to defend America's interests and ideals in this important relationship," Pompeo said. But Pompeo did not provide a reason for Branstad's departure or an announcement about a potential diplomatic successor in China.