Trump Asks China to Postpone His Trip

President Trump said Monday he wants to delay a trip scheduled for the end of the month to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We've got a war going on," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think it's important that I be here." The president had said Sunday that he might not go if China did not agree to send ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has nearly shut down shipping, but he did not give that as the reason for not making the trip yet. "We've requested that we delay it a month or so," Trump said, per CNBC. "I'm looking forward to being with him."

He had criticized European and Asian nations earlier in the day for declining or not answering his request to help escort commercial vessels through the narrow waterway. On Sunday, the president said agreeing to contribute ships after his trip to China would be too late; Treasury Scott Bessent said Monday morning that any postponement wouldn't be because of a disagreement on intervening in the strait. About half of China's oil comes from the Middle East, per NBC News.