January 1, Trump And Xi Try To Dodge The One Issue That Could Blow Up Their Meeting

Wyatt’s Take

• Trump’s right that talking about China’s war on Christians should never be off the table.
• Xi’s regime keeps throwing believers in prison and tearing down churches while American leaders stay quiet.
• The next U.S. president must put religious freedom back at the front of every China negotiation.

President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping both want to skip the uncomfortable subject of Christian persecution when they meet. The issue sits right in front of them like an elephant in the room. Both sides know that bringing it up could derail talks on trade, Taiwan, and technology.

Chinese authorities continue their crackdown on churches across the country. Pastors get arrested for holding services without government permission. Underground house churches face raids and fines that crush families trying to worship in peace.

🇺🇳 Trump calls out the United Nations for hypocrisy, saying that they criticize him for protecting the US’s borders and children while ignoring the millions of Christians facing persecution.

Watch pic.twitter.com/OSP042JctV

— Derek VanBuskirk (@DerekVBK) September 22, 2026

“Religious freedom is not negotiable,” one senior U.S. official said during earlier talks. “We will not look the other way while believers suffer.”

Yet the pressure to stay silent grows stronger with each new economic deal on the table. Trade numbers and technology transfers push human rights questions to the back burner. Beijing counts on American leaders putting dollars ahead of principles.

Xi’s government has destroyed thousands of crosses from church buildings in recent years. Officials force Christians to remove images of Jesus and replace them with pictures of Communist Party leaders. Children get pulled from Sunday schools and warned against learning about faith at home.

“My husband was taken in the middle of the night,” a Chinese Christian woman told investigators. “They said his only crime was preaching from the Bible without state approval.”

American companies doing business in China stay quiet about the abuses. They fear losing access to the massive Chinese market if they speak up. The same silence comes from Hollywood studios and sports leagues that depend on Beijing’s approval.

Trump has spoken out about China’s treatment of religious minorities in the past. His administration added Chinese officials to sanctions lists over the crackdowns. Those steps sent a message that America still cares about persecuted believers.

Xi’s team hopes the new focus on economic talks will bury the issue for good. They want to keep the spotlight on tariffs and chip sales while church doors keep slamming shut across the country.

Wyatt Matters

Middle America still believes that standing up for people of faith matters more than any trade deal or tech contract. When our leaders stay quiet about religious persecution, they send a message that money matters more than freedom. Heartland families want a country that puts principle first, even when it’s uncomfortable.