Trump dismisses claim Chinese entities helped Iran before deadly US attack

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump dismissed claims that Chinese entities had provided Iran with satellite images of a Jordan base prior to a deadly attack in July that killed three US troops. The Wall Street Journal published a report citing unnamed US officials on the matter. When asked about the issue during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly address the allegations.

Instead, he stated that both China and the United States engage in surveillance activities. Trump equated the spying behavior of both nations, stating, "They basically do what we do, I say you're right and we spy on them too." The Chinese and US presidents are scheduled to meet in the United States on September 24, though China has not officially confirmed the meeting's occurrence.

Trump reiterated his positive view of his relationship with Xi, saying, "I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well." The Wall Street Journal report, which Reuters could not immediately verify, did not allege direct involvement by Beijing and declined to identify the Chinese entities involved.