Trump downplays reports of Chinese entities supplying Iran with intelligence

U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed on Sunday the significance of media reports alleging that Chinese entities provided Tehran with satellite imagery of a military base in Jordan, before and after an Iranian attack that killed three American soldiers.

Speaking to reporters aboard the presidential plane a day after The Wall Street Journal published a report revealing Beijing’s involvement in sharing intelligence, Trump said, “When they say China is spying on us, I say they’re right, and we’re spying on them too,” adding, “That’s what we do… they’re basically doing what we do.”

U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal in its report did not name the Chinese entities involved, nor did they suggest that Beijing bore direct responsibility.

The newspaper reported late Friday that when confronted with the matter, Chinese officials demanded evidence from their American counterparts and refused to acknowledge any involvement by Chinese entities in transmitting such images.

Trump had previously warned Beijing against selling weapons to Iran, and Washington imposed sanctions in May on three Chinese satellite companies for their role in supporting Iranian military operations.