China sent Iran ‘a gift’ that was intercepted by US forces in the region, Donald Trump said Tuesday morning while venting about Chinese President Xi Jinping a month before their Beijing meeting.
Speaking with CNBC about the US-Iran war, the President noted how the Islamic Regime is ‘trying to move [their] missiles around even during the ceasefire.’
‘They probably have done a little bit of restocking. We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which wasn’t very nice, a gift from China,’ Trump said.
‘Perhaps, I don’t know. But I was a little surprised, because I have a very good relationship, and I thought I had an understanding with President Xi. But that’s alright. That’s the way war goes.’
He did not expand upon what the mysterious ‘gift’ was.
It appears the incident occurred recently during the ongoing US blockade that Trump ordered to vet ships transiting the strait to ensure they are not carrying supplies to or from Iran. US commandos have boarded several sanctioned vessels in the region, including an operation overnight.
The accusation comes after Trump previously warned China would have ‘big problems’ if it supplied air defense systems to Iran during the war last week.
Xi and Trump are due to meet in Beijing in mid-May. The trip was originally scheduled for the beginning of April, but it was postponed due to Trump’s desire to stay in the US amid the Iran war.
Donald Trump said that China sent ‘a gift’ to Iran that was intercepted by US forces during a Tuesday morning interview on CNBC
‘I thought I had an understanding with President Xi. But that’s alright. That’s the way war goes,’ Trump added
Trump was talking about Iran’s ballistic missile ‘restocking’ when mentioning how a ship was caught with a mysterious ‘gift’ from China
As the conflict nears its second month, it is unclear whether it will be resolved in time for Trump’s May 14-15 visit to Beijing. Initially, Trump forecasted that the war would be completed within six weeks.
Trump’s last publicly reported phone call with President Xi was in early February. Both presidents said the conversation went favorably, Trump called it ‘excellent.’
‘President Xi emphasized that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. Taiwan is China’s territory,’ a readout of the call from Chinese officials stated.
Recently, President Xi has expressed a strong desire to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and operational during the conflict.
‘The Strait of Hormuz should remain open to normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,’ Xi told Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a Monday call.
The US-Iran war’s impact on China’s energy market has been a concern for Xi as the country looks to get more involved in ending hostilities.
China purchased up to 80 percent of Iran’s shipped oil supply in 2025, according to analytics firm Kpler.
Trump also repeated his belief that Iran will be forced to strike a deal with the US. But if Iran does not come to the table, Trump made clear he’s ready to resume bombings across the country.
U.S. Central Command posts near the Strait of Hormuz on April 20, 2026: U.S. forces patrol the Arabian Sea near M/V Touska, April 20, as the Iranian-flagged vessel’s container cargo is searched after U.S. Marines boarded and seized the ship when it attempted to violate the U.S. naval blockade
Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) receives supplies during the ongoing blockade
‘What I think is that we’re going to end up with a great deal,’ Trump said. ‘I think we’re in a very strong negotiating position.’
When pressed on extending the ceasefire, the President responded: ‘I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time.’
He continued: ‘I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go.’
