President Donald Trump on Friday said he does not believe the Russian or Chinese governments are providing military or intelligence assistance to Iran based solely on the say-so of their leaders, contradicting the assessment of his own defense secretary during a Senate hearing just days ago.
Speaking in the Oval Office during an appearance focused on nuclear energy, Trump was asked to defend a Truth Social post in which he claimed Chinese president Xi Jinping had said “he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran” and said Russia’s Vladimir Putin had promised “he would not sell Weapons to Iran.”
He also wrote that in his view, both countries were “not participating” in Iran’s ongoing conflict with the U.S. while warning that “it would be very bad for them” if they did.
When a reporter noted that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that there were “ways in which both of those countries” were “enabling” Tehran “at different levels” and asked how he differentiates “enabling” from assisting, Trump dismissed the question.
“Well, I don’t know that they’re enabling. I mean, I will tell you that President Xi said he will not partake, and President Putin said the same thing … I trust them,” he said.
“There could be some things you do, but thus far, at least, has not been major. I don’t think they’d want to have me disappointed,” Trump added.
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