WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Monday said he is seeking to delay a highly anticipated trip to China in early April by about a month because of the Iran war.
“We’ve requested that we delay it a month or so,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“We got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here.”
China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s requested delay in his scheduled March 31–April 2 trip to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping underscores how the Iran war has upended his foreign policy agenda.
Trump’s Requests for Assistance With Iran
Iran has responded to joint U.S.-Israeli attacks by threatening to fire on vessels moving through the strait, through which its own ships continue to transit at near-normal rates. Trump has called on numerous nations, including China, to help ships safely transit the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil transits on a daily basis.
China, which imported around 12 million barrels of oil daily in the first two months of 2026, most in the world, has not directly responded to his request.
“The president looks forward to visiting China,” spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “The dates may be moved. As commander-in-chief, it’s his number-one priority right now to ensure the continued success of this operation, Epic Fury. So we’ll keep you posted on the dates as soon as we can.”
Traveling Abroad ‘May Not Be Optimal’ Amid War
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that Trump may need to delay the trip due to coordinating the war effort—not because of the request that China help police the strait or because of any trade disagreements.
“The president wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort,” Bessent said. “Traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”
Beijing has not specified dates for Trump’s visit and normally does not detail Xi’s schedule far in advance.
Preparations for Trump–Xi Meeting Move Ahead
Preparations for the meeting at its originally scheduled date are ongoing. On Monday, Bessent was in Paris for talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng aimed at teeing up trade and other agreements for Trump and Xi in Beijing.
Spokespersons for the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. Trade Representative’s office declined to characterize the talks.
“Head of state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance to China–U.S. relations,” said Lin Jian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, when asked about Trump’s remarks about potentially delaying the meeting with Xi during a regular press conference. Both sides are communicating about the trip, Lin added.
