US ‘Doesn’t Need’ China’s Help With Iran, Former Trump Official Says

President Donald Trump stated that the United States does not require China’s assistance in its conflict with Iran, even as he prepares for discussions on the issue during an upcoming trip to Beijing.

In comments ahead of the visit, Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a leader with whom he gets along well and noted that China has not interfered with a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz despite relying heavily on oil from the region. “We’re going to have a long talk about it,” Trump said. “I think he’s been relatively good, to be honest with you. You look at the blockade, no problems. They get a lot of their oil from there. We’ve had no problem.”

Trump emphasized that the U.S. would prevail against Iran regardless of external support. “I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other. We’ll win it peacefully or otherwise,” he said. He added that Iran’s navy and air force are gone, along with every element of its war machine, and that Iranian actions had killed at least 42,000 people over the previous month and a half. “No matter how you cut it,” he concluded, “we win.”

KT McFarland: U.S. Strategy Has Bankrupted Iran

Former Trump Deputy National Security Advisor KT McFarland reinforced the president’s position, stating that the U.S. does not need Chinese help because American military and economic measures have already bankrupted Iran.

“China is Iran’s biggest buyer — the world’s biggest buyer of Iran’s oil. It buys 90% of Iran’s oil exports,” McFarland noted, while acknowledging that Beijing does not want the United States as the uncontested dominant power in the region. However, she added that China also wishes to avoid military confrontations and has a greater interest in ending the conflict quickly.

McFarland pointed to China’s heavy dependence on Middle East energy supplies. Over 50% of China’s oil imports come from the region, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Disruptions would affect roughly 15-20% of China’s energy needs, she said, putting major pressure on its industrial manufacturing, agribusiness, and especially its high-tech sector, all of which require enormous amounts of energy. “China can’t do without that for a long period of time,” McFarland said. “If China’s getting 15, 20% of its energy from the Middle East and it’s no longer coming, then China’s going to start feeling major pressure.”

She noted the long shipping routes involved and suggested President Trump may seek energy deals during his China visit. McFarland also highlighted that China currently buys discounted Iranian oil due to sanctions, in contrast to full market prices for U.S. supplies.

Graham Urges Leverage on China

Senator Lindsey Graham argued that China, as the largest purchaser of both Iranian and Russian oil and gas, holds significant potential influence over both conflicts. In remarks directed at administration officials, Graham stated that China is “propping up Russia and Iran” through its purchases and urged the president to use this dynamic when meeting with Chinese leaders. He asked whether, of all countries, China could have the most influence in ending the Iran conflict “if they chose to.”

McFarland responded that while China could choose to exert pressure, the United States maintains strong independent leverage through its own energy resources and the success of its existing strategy against Iran. She drew a parallel to past Russian efforts to sell energy to Europe, warning of the risks of over-reliance on suppliers from unstable regions.

The upcoming Trump trip to China is expected to cover both the Iran situation and broader bilateral issues, with the president predicting “a lot of good things are going to happen.”