Trump confused over Xi’s Iran leverage; Flips on cam, 'He could help… but we don’t need it'

Donald Trump has sent a fresh wave of confusion through global markets and diplomatic circles with his latest comments on China’s role in the Iran war. On camera, just ahead of his high‑stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump appeared to flip his own message, saying Xi “could help… but we don’t need it.” The remark undercuts his earlier bravado that the U.S. would end the war with Iran “peacefully or otherwise” without any outside assistance, and raises doubts about how unified Washington’s strategy really is. With the Strait of Hormuz choked, oil prices surging, and the fragile ceasefire under serious strain, Trump’s mixed signals on Beijing’s leverage over Tehran have only deepened uncertainty over the path to de‑escalation. Is this calculated ambiguity or strategic confusion at the top?