White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on March 25 that U.S. President Donald Trump's summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, originally scheduled for March 31 to April 2, had been rescheduled to May 14-15. Leavitt added that Trump would also host Xi for a reciprocal visit to Washington "at a later date, to be announced this year."

Early on March 16, Trump threatened to delay his summit with Xi if China did not assist with a U.S.-led naval escort mission to ensure safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Later that day, when he delayed the trip, he claimed it was necessary only because he had to manage the Iran war.