President Trump Discloses Letter Exchange with Xi Jinping Over Iranian Weaponry and Tariffs

President Trump confirms that Xi Jinping denied supplying weapons to Iran in a recent letter exchange as 50% tariff threats loom over global suppliers.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 9:55 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Times of Israel

High Level Correspondence Amid Nuclear and Regional Tensions

President Donald Trump has revealed the existence of a private diplomatic channel used to address Chinese military support for Tehran during the current conflict. In an interview with Fox Business Network’s "Mornings with Maria," the President disclosed that he initiated a written request to President Xi Jinping, specifically asking the Chinese leader to refrain from providing weaponry to Iran. According to Trump, Xi responded with a formal assurance that China is not currently supplying military hardware to the Iranian government, a claim that comes amidst heightened U.S. monitoring of global arms flows.

Economic Coercion and the 50 Percent Tariff Ultimatum

The exchange of letters follows a significant escalation in American economic policy aimed at isolating the Iranian military apparatus. Last week, the Trump administration issued a sweeping directive threatening to impose an immediate 50 percent tariff on any country discovered to be facilitating the transfer of weapons to Iran. This aggressive trade stance appears designed to leverage the U.S. market against Iran's potential suppliers, pressuring global powers like China to maintain a distance from Tehran’s defense needs or face devastating commercial consequences.

Energy Independence as a Diplomatic Lever

During the interview, the President contrasted the economic vulnerabilities of Washington and Beijing, specifically regarding the global energy sector. Trump asserted that the ongoing war involving Iran and the shifting political landscape in Venezuela would not alter his strategic approach for his upcoming summit with Xi. According to the President, the United States holds a distinct advantage because it is no longer reliant on external oil sources, whereas China remains heavily dependent on global oil imports to sustain its industrial economy.