Thanks for reading. The Essential Eight 1. US-China trade U.S.-China deal: A 2020 liability? - POLITICO China hawks both within and outside the Trump administration are becoming vocal that a deal with Beijing could undermine President Donald Trump’s 2020 aspirations. White House trade hawks still believe Chinese President Xi Jinping is unwilling to address U.S. concerns over intellectual property, and any deal would likely be a target for Democrats eager to show battleground voters in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania how Trump has failed to protect their livelihoods from China’s menace.