Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNBC on Monday that the China trade war has been “very tough” on farmers in the United States.

“I’d sure like for it to reach some resolution soon,” the Kentucky Republican said in a “Squawk Alley” interview. “It’s been very tough on American agriculture. … I hope the president can get a good outcome here.”

China has not been “playing by the rules” for a long time, McConnell said, “so I admire what [Trump] is trying to do.” Even so, the GOP Senate leader said, “I hope we can get a conclusion to this sometime soon because rural America really needs it.”

American farmers have been hurt by retaliatory tariffs from China. Roughly $19.5 billion in U.S. farm goods were exported to China in 2017, but that figure fell to $9.1 billion in 2018 as tariffs made agriculture products more expensive, Reuters reported. The Trump administration has responded by offering $28 billion in aid to farmers to offset the impact.

In addition to a trade war resolution, McConnell said rural America would also benefit if Congress passed the White House’s replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

“This is a big deal for American agriculture, to get this new and improved deal with the Canadians and the Mexicans, as well,” McConnell said, referring to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA for short…..more here