Very disturbing...

Senator calls potential Trump intervention in Huawei case 'very disturbing'

By TIM STARKS and ALEXANDER PANETTA

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Wednesday called President Donald Trump's suggestion that he might intervene in the criminal proceedings of a Huawei executive for trade purposes "very disturbing."

Trump said Wednesday he may get involved in the case of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications firm, over charges that she violated Iran sanctions.

"If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made — which is a very important thing — what's good for national security — I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump told Reuters.

But at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Chinese espionage activities, Blumenthal said that "makes it look like law enforcement is a tool of either trade or political or diplomatic ends of this country. ... That may be true in other countries, but not in this one."

Canada arrested the Huawei executive in response to a U.S. extradition request. The case has infuriated China, causing tension with Canada as it seeks to expand trade ties there. Meng was granted bail Tuesday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said he disagrees with the idea of using the arrest as leverage in a trade negotiation.

On his way into a weekly meeting of his Liberal caucus, Trudeau said: "Regardless of what goes on in other countries Canada is and will always remain a country of the rule of law."

At the Senate hearing, a Department of Justice official wouldn't comment on Meng's case specifically.

"I will say that what I do and what we do at the Justice Department is law enforcement," said John Demers, assistant attorney general of the National Security Division. "We follow the facts and vindicate violations of U.S. law. We are not a tool of trade when we bring these cases."

Huawei and Chinese technology in general pose risks to the U.S., said Chris Krebs, head of the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, who also testified.

"The risk tolerance is shifting here," he said.