In the US, "Congress" is both the House of Representatives and the Senate, not just the House.

The House of Representatives is often colloquially referred to as "congress" don't ask me why even though that's the name of the bicameral body.

I think it's because ... reps are called congressmen/women, senators in the senate are well, called senators...

The current administration appointed a Uighar-American as National Security Council Director of China to advise the president on China issues. However, this appointment was ignored by US media, for reasons we can only speculate. While much of the administration's response to China issues has been characterized as "heavy handed" by the same media, that leadership is responsible for influencing the EU to take a similar approach. There's much of Trump I don't like, but I wholly approve of that administration's actions regarding the whole of China.

However he also supported China's anti-Uigher policy in secret remarks[1] to President Xi. There seems to be a hidden agenda at odds with the public agenda.

[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-told-chinas-pr...

This is why it's important that the White House challenges China for the right reasons with the right strategy. Trump is certainly the most anti-China president in years, but he often contradicts himself and frames it with racist, partisan, and protectionist rhetoric, actually damaging human rights-based anti-China opposition. Not to mention he's intent on weakening the levers of soft power that the US has traditionally used as he damages alliances and withdraws from global organizations like the WHO.

It's not enough to be publicly anti-China. Effective leadership demands a focused message, effective coalition building, and unifying rhetoric where Trump has turned it into a partisan wedge like everything he wades into.

The Bidens and by extension the Democrats have extensive business connections with China.

Would you mind citing these extensive business connections?

The Trump's and by extension the Republicans have extensive business connections with China.

So what?

Elon Musk and by extension SpaceX (aka future of large portion U.S. space travel) has extensive business connections with China.

So what?

>So what?

It's a problem, all the way around.

Not inherently, should at least raise questions.

Why can't you just say you don't know...

What, visas are determined by politicians? Wow. That's like no rule of law at all!

Emissaries and consulates are typically ran by career government employees in the US but their operation is overseen by the Secretary of State (a presidential cabinet member) and the State Department. So the presidential appointee has a lot of power over what does and does not happen at consulates/emissaries.

It's not optimal but it's what we have.

I imagine foreigners in the US must feel awful.

A lot of non-foreigners feel horrible about it being inflicted on people too.

In the end, everything is determined by politicians...

E.g. who appoints Supreme Court judges and has them own them favors or agree to their ideology? Politicians...

Well, yes, politicians are the ones who choose the leadership of the branches of gov't, including the branch that decides on visas.