"I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked to consider his release," Trump told reporters, without specifying when he asked Xi. "He's an older man, and he's not well. So I did put that request out. We'll see what happens." Trump had said before he returned to the White House that he wanted to free Lai, a successful businessman who launched the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily. Trump met with Xi in October in South Korea, where he is believed to have raised Lai's case. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an X post shortly following Trump's remarks, said the verdict showed China's determination to "silence those who seek to protect freedom of speech and other fundamental rights." He noted that China promised to uphold a separate system before Britain handed over the financial hub in 1997. "Reports indicate that Mr. Lai's health has severely deteriorated during more than 1,800 days in prison," Rubio said in a statement. (Bssnews)