Democratic candidate with White House ties says Biden could be tougher on China

New Hampshire congressional candidate Maggie Goodlander, a former Justice Department official who is married to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, recently criticized the Biden administration's actions toward China when asked if there was a U.S. policy that she disagreed with.

“I think that there’s more work that could be done to be tough on China,” Goodlander, a Democrat, told New Hampshire TV station WMUR.

Goodlander's husband holds a top role in the White House. His work focuses heavily on foreign policy, including U.S.-China relations.

A spokesperson for the White House's National Security Council declined to comment Wednesday on Goodlander's remarks.

When reached for comment, an official with Goodlander's campaign said the interview transcript speaks for itself.

“Maggie does believe there’s more to be done on China when it comes to the issues of opioids and combating the ways that Chinese companies are fueling the Russian war machine,” the campaign official said.

Democrats and Republicans alike have highlighted China as a top foreign policy issue in the 2024 election, especially as tensions between the world’s two biggest economies have escalated over trade policies, the status and security of Taiwan, military communications and technology.

During the interview, Goodlander also praised President Joe Biden, saying that he "has done amazing things to improve the role of the United States around the world," according to a transcript provided by the campaign but not published by WMUR.

Goodlander pointed to "holding accountable Chinese state-owned corporations who are fueling Russia’s war in Ukraine" and combating opioid production, according to the transcript.

"The truth is that the overdose deaths