Trump live updates: President doesn’t want ‘to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war’ with China over Taiwan

President Donald Trump labeled a reporter “treasonous” and “fake” for his coverage of the ongoing Iran war during a tense exchange aboard Air Force One.

While en route to Washington after a three-day summit in Beijing, Trump was pressed about the situation in Iran — where the conflict is currently paused under a fragile ceasefire — after he indicated the military campaign could soon continue.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he is “optimistic” that Chinese President Xi Jinping might free Ezra Jin, a pastor who was detained on allegations that he led a secret church network.

“He went through a whole thing, and I said, ‘well, I would appreciate if you would release him,” Trump told anchor Bret Baier. “He’s gotten old, and he’s probably not feeling too well. It would be nice.”

He said that he feels good about the prospect of Xi releasing Jin — though he noted he does not feel optimistic about the release of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway part of mainland China that must eventually be unified. Taiwan is a self-governing democracy, and polls indicate the public largely does not want to be ruled by Xi Jinping.

The U.S. formally recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the government of China, and it does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. But, it is legally obligated — via the Taiwan Relations Act — to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

“I’m not looking to have somebody to go independent and, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war,” Trump told Baier. “I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.”

When asked about U.S. weapons sales to the island, Trump said: “We’re gonna see what happens.”

The White House on Friday pushed back on claims that President Trump consumed alcohol during his trip to China.

The speculation followed a state banquet in Beijing, where Trump was seen raising and sipping from a wine glass during a toast honoring U.S.-China relations. Trump, whose older brother struggled with alcoholism before his death, is known to be a teetotaler.

Footage of the moment spread rapidly online, prompting some viewers to suggest the president may have briefly broken with his personal practice as a gesture of respect to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

But the administration claimed otherwise.

“The insinuation here is false by suggesting that he would somehow compromise himself for a toast,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote on X. “President Trump doesn’t drink alcohol.”

US president Donald Trump has said he “doesn’t feel optimistic” that jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai will be freed.

Rebecca Whittaker reports…

Financial markets performed gloomily after the Beijing summit failed to provide substantial progress.

Though some trade deals were made – such as China’s agreement to buy 200 Boeing jets and potentially 750 more afterwards – questions regarding the war in Iran loomed large.

The S&P 500 was more than 1 percent down at its open, ending a rally in tech shares that had brought it record heights.

The price of domestic crude oil also showed the strain, up nearly 3 percent to $104 per barrel.

Xi Jinping has accepted Trump’s invitation to visit the United States, according to Chinese state media.

China’s official Xinhua news agency cited Beijing’s top diplomat Wang Yi when it confirmed that Xi would travel to the US later this year, though did not give further details.

During a state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, Trump invited Xi to visit the White House on 24 September.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is to meet with Xi Jinping next week in Beijing, the Kremlin announced.

Putin will likely be eager to hear how his Chinese counterpart’s meeting with the US president went and reaffirm Russia-China unity against the West amid seemingly deepening relations between Washington and Beijing.

Trump called a reporter ‘treasonous’ for not accepting that the US has achieved a ‘total victory’ in its war against Iran.

The New York Times’s White House and National Security Correspondent David Sanger asked “What would be the use in repeating the bombing?” after Trump suggest the US might restart their air campaign.

Here’s the full exchange:

President Trump told reporters on Air Force One he and President Xi could meet three more times this year, including potentially another trip to China.

In addition to this week’s summit in Beijing, Trump suggested future meetings could include December’s G-20 meeting in Miami and a conference in November of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Shenzhen.

During the Beijing summit, Trump also invited Xi to visit the US in September. It was not clear whether Xi accepted the invitation.