Trump Threatens China With 50% Tariff If It Arms Iran, Offers Cheaper American Oil Instead

US President Donald Trump has warned China that it would face a 50 percent tariff on all goods entering the United States if Beijing is found supplying weapons to Iran, his most direct public warning yet tying the Iran conflict to trade policy.

Speaking on Fox Business’ Sunday Morning Futures with host Maria Bartiromo, Trump was asked whether his earlier threat about countries supporting Iran militarily included China. “Yes,” he replied. “And other people. But yes, China too.”

“If we catch them doing that, they get a 50 percent tariff,” Trump said. “That’s staggering.”

The remarks came just days after US-Iran ceasefire talks in Islamabad ended without a deal, and after Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.

Intelligence reports on Chinese arms shipments

Trump’s warning follows US intelligence assessments claiming Beijing could be preparing shipments of air defence systems, including shoulder-fired MANPADS missiles, to Iran. The weapons could potentially be routed through third countries to avoid detection, according to reports from April 11.

The President acknowledged hearing the reports but expressed doubt that China would follow through. “I doubt they would do that because I have a relationship and I think they wouldn’t,” he said, adding: “Maybe they did a little bit at the beginning. But I don’t think they would anymore.”

China has denied the allegations. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told CNN that Beijing “has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict.” US and European officials, however, have accused China of indirectly enabling Iran through dual-use technology and financial channels.

A cheaper oil pitch alongside the threat

In an unusual twist, Trump combined his tariff threat with a sales pitch. He suggested China could buy American oil instead of relying on Iranian imports, saying: “China can send their ships to us to Venezuela… we have a lot of overcapacity, and we’ll probably sell for even less money than Iran.”

Trump has long favoured tariffs as a geopolitical tool, arguing they are faster and more forceful than sanctions. Linking trade penalties directly to military support in an active conflict is a clear escalation in how economic leverage is being deployed.

Iran conflict widens

The tariff threat adds another dimension to an already complex crisis. The failed Islamabad talks, the Hormuz blockade, and now the China warning have together pushed the confrontation closer to a global trade disruption.

For Nigeria and other oil-importing nations, the stakes are real. The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20 percent of global oil consumption. Any extended disruption could send crude prices higher, hitting fuel costs and inflation across West Africa.

Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing in mid-May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Whether the tariff threat escalates tensions before that trip depends on what US intelligence determines about Chinese arms flows to Iran in the coming weeks.

Sources: Newsweek, India Today, Hindustan Times, Times of India, CNN