Trump Confronted about Hegseth Contradicting Him on China and Russia Helping Iran

President Donald Trump was confronted Friday about Iran, and how his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared to contradict his comments on involvement by China and Russia.

“You said today Russia and China are not helping. Earlier this week, the War Secretary Hegseth said they are enabling. So what is the difference?” asked Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy during an Oval Office announcement on nuclear power.

“Well, I don’t know that they’re enabling. I mean, I will tell you that President Xi [Jinping] said will will not partake, and President [Vladimir] Putin said the same thing. I think, you know, I trust them. Do they — they’ve had a long term relationship, there could be some things they do. Thus far, at least, it’s not been major. I don’t think they’d want to have me disappointed.”

During Hegseth’s Senate hearing this week, Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) asked, “Are Russia and China helping Iran? And if so, how?”

Hegseth answered, “There’s definitely adversary alignment, attempts to do so, and there are many ways that we deter that. Some of which are — and the depth and extent of it ought to remain classified, and it should — but there are ways in which both of those countries are limiting, at different levels, enabling some of the things Iran is doing, Yes.”

But in a Truth Social post Friday, Trump declared outright that Russia and China were “not participating” in the Iran war.

The president wrote:

President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — And that statement included Chinese Companies. Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also. Likewise, President Putin, despite the horrible War going on in Ukraine (The relationship remains, as it does with President Zelenskyy), told me that he would not sell Weapons to Iran. He understands that I do not sell Weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO Countries. They pay full price, and how those Weapons are distributed, I have no idea. Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them — Certainly not in their best interests. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Watch the clip above via Fox News.

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