Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford Mark SanfordOn The Money: Business world braces for blue sweep | Federal Reserve chief to outline plans for inflation, economy | Meadows 'not optimistic' about stalemate on coronavirus deal Trump critic Sanford forms anti-debt advocacy group Republicans officially renominate Trump for president MORE (R) pushed back Friday on claims that his long-shot Republican Primary bid against President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE is a publicity stunt, claiming that he is running because he believes the party has “lost its way” since 2016.

“The Republican Party has lost its way under this administration — not just on debt and deficit but frankly with regard to are we inward- or we outward-looking,” Sanford told Hill.TV on Friday. “This whole ramp-up on tariffs is beginning to impact the economy in substantive ways.”

Sanford’s comments come amid a widening trade gap and Trump's ongoing tariff fights with China and Europe.

The U.S. trade deficit rose to $54.9 billion in August, a 1.6 percent increase from July and a 7.1 percent from the same period last year. Analysts have attributed Trump’s trade wars as a contributing factor.

U.S. and Chinese officials, meanwhile, are set to resume trade negotiations in Washington next week. The talks come just ahead of a delayed increase of tariffs on Chinese goods.

The Trump administration had moved a scheduled increase of Chinese tariffs from Tuesday to Oct. 15, just days after the negotiations. The latest round would increase tariffs from 25 percent to 30 percent on an estimated $250 billion worth of Chinese imports.

Trump has made his relationship with Beijing a centerpiece of his presidency, even as he becomes the focus of an impeachment inquiry led by House Democrats. The inquiry is centered on whistleblower's allegations that Trump sought to withhold hundreds of millions in dollars in aid to Ukraine to pressure the government there to open a probe into former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE, the Democratic 2020 front-runner, and Biden's son Hunter.

On Thursday, Trump publicly encouraged China and Ukraine to investigate the Biden family for unsubstantiated corruption allegations.

But the president maintained that he would keep issues related to Biden “separate” from his ongoing trade talks with Beijing.

“I want to do a trade deal with China but only if it’s good for our country,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday. “One thing has nothing to do with the other.”

—Tess Bonn