Trump Accuses China of Spying After Report Links Beijing to Iranian Missile Strike

While the presidential jet hummed over the Atlantic, Donald Trump fielded a question about a recent Wall Street Journal investigation that tied Chinese companies to an Iranian strike on a Jordanian air base. The report alleged that Beijing‑linked firms handed Iran detailed satellite pictures of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a location that had housed U.S. troops.

“China spies on us, just like we spy on them,” Trump said, a hint of the familiar tit‑for‑tat rhetoric that has colored his foreign‑policy pronouncements. He went on to suggest that the exchange of intelligence is a two‑way street, adding that “they’re watching everything we do, and we’re doing the same.”

The missile barrage, which occurred last month, cost the United States three service members and sparked a flurry of diplomatic activity. Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed using foreign imagery, but U.S. officials say the precision of the attack points to advanced reconnaissance – something that high‑resolution commercial satellites can provide.

Trump’s remarks came alongside his broader commentary on the ongoing conflict with Iran. He predicted that the “Iran war” would wind down after the 2026 midterm elections and that gasoline prices would soon start to fall, a claim that drew both nods and skepticism from the reporters gathered on the plane.

When pressed about the implications for U.S.–China relations, the former president brushed it off with a shrug, noting that the United States has long monitored Chinese activities. “We’re not the first to watch,” he said, before turning the conversation to domestic concerns about inflation and border security.