Trump warns of 'consequences' if China invades Taiwan

President Trump said in a Sunday interview that Chinese officials “know the consequences” of taking military action against Taiwan while he’s in office.

In an interview on CBS News’s “60 Minutes,” correspondent Norah O’Donnell asked the president whether he would defend Taiwan if China moved on the island. Trump avoided making any direct threats but said he was confident that would not happen.

“You'll find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that,” Trump responded in the interview.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Thursday for the first time in six years. The leaders touted key agreements struck between the countries against the backdrop of economic tensions spurred by trade and Trump's announcement that America would resume nuclear testing.

Trump said in the interview, which was taped Friday, that the two leaders did not discuss Taiwan during their historic meeting last week.

“This never even came up yesterday as a subject. He never brought it up,” Trump said. “People were a little surprised at that. He never brought it up because he understands it, and he understands it very well.”

O’Donnell pressed Trump on why he wouldn’t say publicly what he insisted Xi understands “very well” about the consequences of hypothetical military action against Taiwan.

“I don’t want to give away, I can't give away my secrets. I don’t want to be one of these guys that tells you exactly what's going to happen if something happens. The other side knows, but I'm not somebody that tells you everything because you're asking me a question,” Trump responded.

“But they understand what's going to happen,” Trump continued. “And he has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences.”