President Donald Trump dismissed concerns on Sunday over a report alleging Chinese entities helped Iran carry out a strike that killed three American troops. He framed global espionage as a two-way street rather than a diplomatic red flag. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump brushed past questions about the allegations and instead pointed to what he called mutual spying between Washington and Beijing.
Donald Trump responds after Chinese entities were reportedly linked to Iran satellite imagery
The Wall Street Journal broke the story, reporting that unnamed U.S. officials traced satellite imagery of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan back to Chinese entities. Iran allegedly used those images to plan its July 17 missile strike on the base, an attack that killed three U.S. service members. Officials reportedly claimed it was some of the strongest evidence so far that Chinese assistance to Iran has directly cost American lives.
Notably, the officials cited in the report stopped short of naming which Chinese entities supplied the imagery. They did not accuse the Chinese government itself of playing a direct role. Along the same lines, Trump waved off the report’s implications when reporters raised it during his flight home from Ireland. Rather than expressing alarm, he equated Chinese intelligence-gathering with America’s own practices.
“They basically do what we do,” Trump said. “When they say China spies on us, I say you’re right and we spy on them too.” Reporters then asked whether Trump planned to confront Xi Jinping over the matter when the two leaders meet later this month. Trump sidestepped the question entirely, choosing instead to highlight the strength of the relationship. “I think he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well,” he said.
That meeting is tentatively set for September 24 at the White House. However, Beijing has not publicly verified the date or confirmed Xi’s travel plans. China’s relationship with Iran runs deep. Beijing remains Tehran’s largest oil buyer and one of its few reliable economic partners.
