Trending Now - Trump Considers Postponing China Trip Amid Gulf Tensions

WHO:

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng

President Donald Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz

Energy Secretary Chris Wright

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg

President Donald Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that any delay to Trump’s trip to Beijing would not be due to disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng was meeting with Scott Bessent in Paris for trade talks.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on March 13th, 2026, in Paris for discussions related to the planned summit in Beijing.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz

Energy Secretary Chris Wright

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Pete Buttigieg, past and possibly future Democratic presidential candidate

President Donald Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng

WHAT:

Trump stated, “We may delay,” regarding his trip to China, without specifying how long any delay could last.

Trump mentioned that the U.S. had spoken to “about seven” nations about offering military support in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said, “I think China should help too because China gets 90% of its oil from the Straits,” during an interview with the Financial Times.

Trump called for a broader “team effort” from several countries, including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump stated, “We’d like to know before that. It’s [two weeks is] a long time,” regarding his trip to China.

Trump mentioned that he had spoken to “about seven” nations about offering military support in the Strait of Hormuz.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said any delay to Trump’s trip to Beijing would not be due to disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, stating, “If the meeting for some reason was rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics.”

China recently lowered its 2026 target for growth slightly to 4.5% to 5%, its slowest projected growth since 1991.

Trump stated, “I think China should help too because China gets 90% of its oil from the Straits,” during an interview with the Financial Times.

Trump mentioned he had spoken to “about seven” nations regarding offering military support in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump indicated that it is unclear whether China will join efforts to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, stating, “I can’t really say for sure.”

Trump called for a broader “team effort” from several countries, including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump mentioned that he had spoken to “about seven” nations regarding offering military support in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump stated, “China’s an interesting case study,” regarding its reliance on Gulf oil and the potential for cooperation.

Trump stated, “We may delay,” regarding the trip to China, without specifying how long any delay could last.

Trump mentioned that the U.S. had spoken to “about seven” nations about offering military support in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump stated, “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”

Trump mentioned that American consumers have been affected by a general spike in oil prices.

Trump indicated that the conflict with Iran is only two weeks old as of March 16th, 2026.

Trump noted that there have been 13 US deaths on active service so far in the conflict.

Trump stated he may delay a planned summit with Xi Jinping.

Trump urged China to help address disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump mentioned that China gets 90% of its oil from the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump called for a broader “team effort” from several countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply.

WHERE:

The meeting between Scott Bessent and He Lifeng took place in Paris, France.

Strait of Hormuz

Muscat, Oman

Paris, France

WHEN:

Trump’s comments were made in an interview published on March 12th, 2026.

The planned summit in Beijing is scheduled for later in March 2026.

Trump’s comments were made in an interview published on March 12th, 2026.

The planned summit in Beijing is scheduled for March 2026.

Trump’s comments were made in an interview published on March 12th, 2026.

The planned summit in Beijing is scheduled for later in March 2026.

Trump’s comments about possibly delaying his trip were made in an interview published on March 12th, 2026.

The meeting between Scott Bessent and He Lifeng occurred on March 13th, 2026.

Trump’s comments regarding the potential delay of the summit were made in an interview published on March 12th, 2026.

Trump’s comments were made in an interview published on March 12th, 2026.

The planned summit in Beijing is scheduled for later in March 2026.

Trump indicated that two weeks from the interview date is a long time to wait.

WHY:

The uncertainty surrounding the trip underscores how the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have reshaped global politics in the past two weeks.

Trump is pressuring Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to calm soaring oil prices amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The uncertainty surrounding the trip underscores how the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have reshaped global politics in the past two weeks.

Trump is pressuring Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to calm soaring oil prices amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The uncertainty surrounding the trip underscores how the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have reshaped global politics in the past two weeks.

Trump is pressuring Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to calm soaring oil prices amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Trump implied that the lack of foreign naval support could jeopardize his planned summit with Xi Jinping.

The potential delay is due to China's lack of assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing conflict with Iran.

HOW:

Trump suggested he would prefer to know Beijing’s position on assisting with the Strait of Hormuz before the planned meeting with Xi Jinping.

Trump suggested that he had made an offer to China regarding military support in the Strait of Hormuz, stating, “So I said, ‘Would you like to come in’ and we'll find out.”

Trump communicated his demands for foreign navies to assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz during an interview with the Financial Times and while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump communicated his concerns during an interview with the Financial Times and while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 23:06 UTC)

In a recent interview published last Monday, Trump indicated that he may delay his upcoming trip to China, without providing specifics on how long the delay could last. He also emphasized the need for a collaborative effort from multiple nations, including China, to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for global oil supplies, as China relies on this route for 90% of its oil. This comes as Trump seeks clarity on Beijing's stance regarding military support in the region, following heightened tensions due to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that have significantly impacted global politics.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 21:08 UTC)

In an interview published last Monday, Trump expressed his desire to know Beijing's stance on assisting with the Strait of Hormuz before his planned summit in Beijing later this month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris, stated that any delay to Trump's trip would be due to logistics rather than disagreements over the Iran war. Meanwhile, China has recently adjusted its 2026 growth target to between 4.5% and 5%, marking its slowest projected growth since 1991.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 15:15 UTC)

In an interview with the Financial Times published last Monday, President Trump emphasized the importance of China's involvement in securing the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the country relies on the strait for 90% of its oil. He revealed that he has been in discussions with about seven nations about providing military support in the region, while also calling for a collaborative effort from countries like China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom to help reopen the strait. As the planned summit in Beijing approaches later this month, Trump expressed a desire to understand Beijing's stance on this issue before meeting with President Xi Jinping.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 13:20 UTC)

In a recent interview published last Monday, Trump indicated that any potential delay to his upcoming trip to Beijing would not stem from disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. During trade talks in Paris, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, while Trump mentioned he had spoken to about seven nations regarding military support in the region, highlighting China's reliance on Gulf oil and the possibility for cooperation. Trump expressed a desire to understand Beijing's stance on assisting with the Strait of Hormuz before his planned meeting with Xi Jinping, reflecting the shifting dynamics of global politics following recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 09:13 UTC)

In a significant diplomatic meeting on March 13th, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris to discuss the upcoming summit in Beijing. During this time, Trump indicated that there might be a delay in the trip to China and revealed that the U.S. has been in talks with about seven nations regarding military support in the Strait of Hormuz, where he is urging Beijing to help stabilize the situation and address rising oil prices. Trump also mentioned that he had extended an offer to China for military cooperation in the region, saying, “So I said, ‘Would you like to come in’ and we'll find out.”

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 07:19 UTC)

In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Trump expressed concerns about the potential delay of his summit with Xi Jinping, stating that a lack of foreign naval support could jeopardize the meeting. He also highlighted the impact of rising oil prices on American consumers and noted that the conflict with Iran, which has already resulted in 13 U.S. deaths, is only two weeks old as of today. Trump's comments were published on March 12, 2026, and he emphasized that a negative response to his demands for foreign navies to assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz could have serious consequences for NATO's future.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 05:36 UTC)

In an interview published last Monday, Trump indicated he may delay a planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing China's insufficient help in securing the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions with Iran. He emphasized the importance of a collaborative effort from multiple nations to reopen the Strait, which is crucial as it supplies about a fifth of the world's oil and provides 90% of China's oil. Trump made these remarks while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, highlighting the urgency of the situation just two weeks before the scheduled summit in Beijing.