Trump Plays Down Report Chinese Entities Supplied Iran Imagery Before Deadly U.S. Base Attack

Donald Trump has played down a report that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a U.S. base before an attack that killed three American troops, responding that China spies on America and America spies on China.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that Iran obtained satellite imagery of the base in Jordan before the July attack.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the report.

The officials cited by the Journal did not allege that the Chinese government itself was involved.

That leaves an important gap between Chinese entities supplying intelligence and Beijing directing or knowingly supporting its use.

Asked whether he would raise the issue with Xi Jinping at their expected September 24 meeting, Trump did not directly answer.

Instead, he said:

“When they say China spies on us, I say you’re right and we spy on them too.”

Espionage or assistance to an enemy?

Trump’s response treats intelligence gathering as an ordinary feature of great-power competition.

Governments routinely condemn foreign espionage while running extensive intelligence operations of their own.

The allegation here potentially goes further.

If satellite imagery supplied by Chinese entities materially assisted Iran in preparing an attack that killed American personnel, the relevant questions are who supplied it, what they knew and whether it was knowingly provided for military targeting.

None of those questions is answered by the report so far.

Trump appears in no hurry to turn them into another confrontation with Beijing days before meeting Xi.