U.S. President Donald Trump on September 14, 2026, played down concerns over a report that Chinese entities may have supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a U.S. military base in Jordan before a deadly Iranian missile attack.
The report, originally published by The Wall Street Journal, said U.S. officials had linked high-resolution satellite imagery supplied by Chinese entities to the July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, in which three U.S. service members were killed and four were wounded. The officials did not accuse the Chinese government directly, and the specific companies involved were not publicly identified.
Asked about the issue, Trump downplayed the allegations, saying that the United States and China both conduct surveillance. He also emphasized his desire to maintain a good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping rather than publicly escalating the dispute. Reuters said it could not independently verify the Wall Street Journal’s report.
The controversy comes ahead of a planned TrumpโXi meeting later this month, making the issue particularly sensitive for U.S.โChina relations. Washington has previously sanctioned Chinese companies over alleged assistance that could improve Iran’s ability to target U.S. forces.
News as Reported.
