Two Biden Administration Officials Reportedly Mending Ties After Spat Over China Report

The conflict reportedly happened during a Situation Room meeting in September 2021 exposing a disagreement between the economic and national security branches in the current US administration. The trade representative allegedly accused Sullivan of deliberately sabotaging her work by leaking sensitive data to media.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan are working on streamlining their working relationship following what was reported by some to have been a major conflict between the two, Axios reported, citing anonymous sources.

Sullivan told Axios that he has no quarrel with Tai, not commenting on reports of a spat. Tai described the national security adviser as a "critical partner" in delivering on US President Joe Biden's trade policy, but also did not comment on reports of a conflict.

"Katherine and I are all-good — not Washington all-good — regular all-good. The only beef we deal with is beef for export", Sullivan said.

At the same time, Axios pointed out that Tai's chief of staff, Nora Todd, recently decided to leave her post in favour of a position in Sullivan's National Security Council.

Awkward Spat in Situation Room

The conflict between Tai and Sullivan reportedly started after the trade representative accused the national security adviser of leaking to the press information the White House was mulling for an investigation against Chinese industrial subsidies under Section 301, that could potentially lead to the new tariffs against Beijing. Tai is said to have accused Sullivan of trying to undermine her authority during a Situation Room meeting in September 2021 attended by Biden Cabinet members.

At the time, Tai's office was completing its own review of China's trade policy – potentially conflicting with that of the National Security Council. Following the alleged spat, rumours of a conflict between the NSC and Tai's office reportedly spread through the West Wing, Axios said, citing sources who reportedly did not wish to be identified.

The Trade Representative office's review apparently prevailed, as the US introduced no new tariffs under Section 301 against China in 2021.