U.S. President Donald Trump is again hinting that he might drop charges against Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. as part of a trade deal with China – a move that would threaten judicial independence and undermine American law enforcement. It is unclear whether Mr. Trump could unilaterally end the prosecution. But even floating the possibility puts Canada in an increasingly difficult spot as it processes Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou’s extradition case, and buttresses China’s assertion that the prosecution is purely political.
At an Oval Office trade meeting with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He on Friday, Mr. Trump told reporters that he “may or may not include” a resolution to the Huawei situation in the deal he was negotiating with China. Asked whether he would be willing to drop criminal charges against Huawei, Mr. Trump said he would be discussing this with the U.S. Justice Department.
