Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that President Trump’s claim that China is interfering with with U.S. elections is based on China’s push to impose tariffs on products that target regions of the U.S. where the president’s base of support lies.

“They have targeted areas … where the president is sensitive. That was what the president was referring to,” Mnuchin said at a forum hosted by the Hill Thursday. The secretary was responding to questions about comments Trump made Wednesday at the United Nations.