Trump to discuss 'almost everything' with Xi at White House meeting

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he expects to discuss "almost everything" with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their Sept. 24 meeting at the White House, covering trade, automobiles, defense production and global conflicts including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Trump defends tariffs on Chinese vehicles

Speaking to reporters, Trump defended his administration's steep tariffs on Chinese automobiles and claimed credit for keeping them out of the US market. "I'm the one that kept them out," he said, citing duties ranging from 100% to 150%. He contrasted Washington's approach with Europe, which he said was being "decimated" by Chinese car imports.

Asked whether the talks would yield an agreement on Boeing aircraft purchases, Trump responded confidently: "I get every deal."

Ukraine war and Gaza diplomacy

Trump addressed the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, stating he had urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to refrain from targeting Russian diesel refineries. "The problem I have with Ukraine and Russia is that … diesel oil comes from Russia," he said, arguing that attacks on the facilities were driving up global fuel prices. He described the situation as "a case that hurts the world" and stressed the need to halt escalation.

Turning to the Gaza conflict, Trump praised CIA Director John Ratcliffe and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for their diplomatic efforts. "Look at Gaza as an example," he said. "Look at the fact we got all the hostages back." He claimed fighting had significantly decreased and that Hamas was now willing to surrender its weapons.

Defense production and AI leadership

Trump said the US is rapidly rebuilding its weapons stockpiles after supplying significant quantities to Ukraine, noting that new facilities are producing Patriot air-defense missiles at record rates. "We're making more Patriots than we've ever made," he said. He also highlighted emerging military technologies, declaring that "the laser is going to be the future" of missile defense due to lower operational costs compared to conventional interceptors.

On artificial intelligence, Trump expressed optimism that benefits would outweigh risks, asserting that "whoever wins AI wins." He said he believes the United States maintains a significant lead in the strategic technology sector.

Trump also addressed reports of Chinese intelligence activities targeting US military assets, stating that Beijing engages in spying similar to Washington's own operations. "They do what we do," he said. He warned that additional tariffs on automobiles are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, while describing Canada as "the worst country to deal with" in trade negotiations despite praising its citizens as "fantastic."