Haley Warns Xi Will 'Charm' Trump at Next Month's Meeting, Claims China Funds Iran's War Against US

Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said Thursday that China is "not our friend," as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with Chairman Xi Jinping next month. She cited Beijing's alleged funding of Iranian war operations and intrusions into US infrastructure.

"They Are Not Our Friends"

"When President Trump meets with Chairman Xi next month, Xi will turn on the charm and claim China is a good actor," Haley wrote on X.

She said Beijing is simultaneously "funding Iran's war against us, hacking our critical infrastructure, and undermining America at every turn," urging Washington to "hold them accountable."

When President Trump meets with Chairman Xi next month, Xi will turn on the charm and claim China is a good actor. Meanwhile, he is funding Iran's war against us, hacking our critical infrastructure, and undermining America at every turn. We need to be clear…

— Nikki Haley, August 27, 2026

Consistent Hawkish Stance

Haley has long viewed China as an adversary. In 2023, she called China "the biggest threat we've faced since Pearl Harbor."

Recent claims about China's alleged support for Iran are also not new. She made similar accusations in June, claiming China provided weapon systems to Iran during the Iranian conflict, while Russia supplied drone and satellite support.

Haley has also repeatedly voiced concerns over China's ambitions regarding Taiwan, warning that Chinese control of the island would give Beijing a stranglehold on the global semiconductor supply chain. Taiwan remains a flashpoint between Washington and Beijing, with China describing the island as the "first insurmountable red line" in bilateral relations.

DOJ, FBI Seize Hacking Infrastructure

The former Republican presidential candidate's remarks come as the US Department of Justice and FBI announced Wednesday that they had seized domains used by QScan and QTRouter, two hacking platforms developed by the China-linked group QTFY.

Court records unsealed in the Southern District of California link QTFY to Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Co., Ltd. The records allege the company sold hacking services to China's Ministry of State Security and the People's Liberation Army.

Alleged attack targets include NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, and the US Senate.

Trump Considering New Tariffs

The high-stakes meeting will be the second encounter between the two leaders this year. Trump visited China in May. Following the summit, he and Xi established a new bilateral trade and investment commission, though Taiwan issues and trade fairness concerns remain unresolved.

The Trump administration is also separately considering a 7.5% tariff on Chinese imports due to industrial overcapacity concerns.