Trump to discuss fentanyl crisis with China’s Xi Jinping at summit
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On the final leg of his Asia trip, en route to South Korea, President Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One, expressing confidence in his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their meeting at an economic summit.
Asked about U.S. efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking, Trump said the issue would be at the heart of his discussions with Xi.
Ahead of his meeting with the Chinese leader, Trump said he hoped for progress on “many issues,” including fentanyl trafficking, trade and tariffs.
“China will work with me, OK,” Trump told reporters. “They’re going to work with me and we’re going to do something, I believe.”
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during the APEC CEO Luncheon at the Gyeongju Arts Center October 29, 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Trump said the issue would be a major topic of discussion at his next meeting.
“We have to have a meeting, a meeting tomorrow. It’s a big meeting,” he said. “And fentanyl will be one of the things we discuss. Farmers will discuss a lot of things, but fentanyl will be one of the things we discuss.”
Trump said the fentanyl crisis and drug trafficking across the southern border are directly linked, calling them a “massive death toll.”
“We have taken in a lot of deaths. I call them the death ships,” he said. “Under Biden and the open borders, things were flowing. I think they killed 300,000 people last year – fentanyl drugs were coming across the southern border. And now, no one is coming across that. We’re very tough on the border.”
Border Patrol agents and a member of the Texas Ranger Division Special Operations Group seize 297 pounds of marijuana following a drug bust near the Mexico-U.S. border in the Rio Grande Valley sector near McAllen, Texas. (Loren Elliott/Reuters)
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Trump credited his policies with a sharp reduction in maritime drug trafficking, saying it was “down about 80 percent by sea.”
He also praised U.S. law enforcement and border officials for their efforts, saying, “Our border agents, our Border Patrol agents, have been incredible. ICE — these people do a great job with what they do.”
Attendees applaud as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his speech during the APEC CEO Luncheon at the Gyeongju Arts Center October 29, 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
During his visit, Trump also commented on international security issues, including the Israel-Hamas conflict and recent missile launches by North Korea. He said he expects his meeting with Xi to be productive, adding: “I think we will have a great meeting with Chinese President Xi. And a lot of issues will be resolved.”
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Trump’s comments underscored his desire to link border security and international cooperation as key priorities ahead of his meeting with Xi.
