Pro-democracy tycoon says he wanted Trump to stop Hong Kong’s national security law

Pro-democracy advocate and media mogul Jimmy Lai revealed in his trial in Hong Kong on Wednesday that he had hoped Donald Trump could intervene to stop the imposition of Beijing’s national security law in 2020.

Catch up: Lai, 77, is charged with two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s national security law and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material. Prosecutors allege he was a central figure in a network that sought foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China. This includes accusations that he met with U.S. officials, such as then-Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2019, to solicit support. Lai denied these allegations in court, stating he merely relayed the situation in Hong Kong during his meetings. Lai’s defense has framed his meetings with foreign officials as standard exchanges and emphasized his refusal to advocate for Hong Kong’s independence, calling such notions “crazy” and a “conspiracy.”
What Lai is saying: Lai’s testimony highlighted his belief that Trump’s intervention was crucial to counter Beijing’s imposition of the national security law in mid-2020. He reportedly instructed the Taiwanese edition of Apple Daily to avoid publishing material critical of Trump, underscoring the urgency he felt at the time. He also spearheaded a campaign urging Hongkongers to write letters to Trump, a move his colleagues initially resisted but eventually supported at Lai’s insistence. “If the national security law was imposed, Apple Daily would be finished,” Lai told the court, adding, “Maybe [Trump] could just ask China not to do it … a call to Xi Jinping, whatever.” The law ultimately came into force on June 30, 2020, prompting Lai’s arrest and the eventual closure of Apple Daily in 2021.
What Trump is saying: In an interview with conservative podcaster Hugh Hewitt in October, Trump pledged to secure Lai’s release if he is re-elected. “One hundred percent, yes,” Trump said when asked whether he would intervene with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Lai’s behalf. Trump cited his previous successful negotiations with Xi, such as securing the release of detained American basketball players in 2017, as evidence of his ability to act effectively. Trump’s remarks have further highlighted Lai’s case as a litmus test for Hong Kong’s judicial independence. Diplomats and rights advocates continue to call for Lai’s release, with a coalition of politicians and experts from at least 22 countries and the European Parliament condemning his prolonged detention as “inhumane.”

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