President Trump is hitting pause on his highly anticipated summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March and is telling Beijing that it can wait a month as his team focuses on the conflict in Iran and their attempts to disrupt shipping in the crucial waterway of the Strait of Hormuz.
China has been keeping its cards close to the vest as it has warily watched U.S. forces take out most of the senior Iranian leadership in the last 17 days with Operation Epic Fury. Trump, meanwhile, has worked since the beginning of his administration to rebalance the rules of trade between the two powerful countries, as he believes the deck has long been stacked in the People’s Republic’s favor:
The summit was meant to focus on trade, as both Trump and Xi seek to extend a delicate tariff truce between the world’s two biggest economies. But China showed little immediate sign that it was bothered by the likely delay, which analysts told NBC News may actually prove beneficial to efforts to further stabilize relations.
Trump said Monday that his China trip planned for later this month could be postponed because of the war, telling reporters in Washington, “I think it’s important that I be here.” But his administration has not confirmed that the trip is delayed or shared more specific dates for when it would be rescheduled.
🚨BREAKING — POTUS will delay his planned trip to China for approximately one month, due to the war with Iran. pic.twitter.com/ssK3Pdvvzk
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 17, 2026
MORE: Is Donald Trump Reshaping Our World?
Where Are Those Chicom Jets Normally Harassing Taiwan? Does Epic Fury Have the CCP Nervous?
Key points to know:
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday on CNBC that the meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping could be delayed for logistical reasons.
- Trump suggested on Sunday that the summit could be delayed as the U.S. pressures China to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also said Monday morning it’s “quite possible” the meeting could be delayed.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box Monday to say the delay wouldn’t be because of tension between Beijing and Washington, but would be more of a matter of “logistics.”
“If the meetings are delayed, it wouldn’t be delayed because the president demanded that China police the Strait of Hormuz,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan in Paris. “If the meeting, for some reason, is rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics.”
“It would be a decision the president made as commander in chief to stay in the White House or to stay in the United States while this war is being prosecuted,” he said.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says a possible “postponement” of the Trump‑Xi China visit is on the table amid the Iran war, adding:
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 16, 2026
“It would have nothing to do with the Chinese making a commitment to the Straits of Hormuz.” pic.twitter.com/r5MQEupW8r
That being said, Trump wants China to take a stronger stand in keeping the Hormuz. “I think China should also help because around 90% of China’s oil comes through that strait,” he said in an interview Monday.
THE ESSEX FILES: Trump Is Right to Demand China Share the Risk in the Strait of Hormuz
So far, many countries have said that it’s crucial to keep the strait open — but few have shown a willingness to do anything about it.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and bold policies, America’s economy is back on track.
Help us continue to report on the president’s economic successes and combat the lies of the Democrats. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member