ZTE will be the topic of discussion at a meeting today between President Trump and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, reports Reuters.
Trump wants to talk about the “problematic” amendment made to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) earlier this week, which will keep certain sanctions against ZTE in place. The administration and lawmakers have different viewpoints on what to do with ZTE.
The company was caught lying about a 2017 settlement over exports to Iran and North Korea in violation of sanctions. As a result, the Department of Commerce banned U.S. companies from selling ZTE software or hardware for a period of seven years. The ban has effectively put ZTE out of business, as it is unable to buy the components it needs to make phones.
The Trump administration wants the ban lifted and the Commerce Department agreed to a new fine along with required management changes at ZTE. Members of the Senate and House, however, contend that ZTE’s punishment was fair and should be upheld.
Despite the Commerce Department agreement, Senators added language to the NDAA that keeps the sanctions in place, putting it at odds with the Trump administration. The White House confirmed that the meeting will take place, but did not specify the attendees.
