Trump Returns to US for Midterm Push, Waves Off Report Tying Chinese Satellite Imagery to Deadly Jordan Strike

President Trump returned to the United States Monday, September 14, 2026, from his Ireland trip, kicking off a stretch of midterm campaigning for Republican candidates as the party's approval numbers sag; NPR's Mara Liasson noted a Quinnipiac poll putting his approval as low as 33%. Asked whether Congress would need to approve the $5,000-per-adult 'Trump dividend' checks he pledged at the Dallas RNC convention, Trump told reporters, 'I don't know. But it's easy enough if the Republicans win, as I said,' offering no further detail on funding mechanics. Separately, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump downplayed a Wall Street Journal report that Iran obtained satellite imagery of the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan from Chinese entities before a July 17, 2026 missile strike that killed three US Army soldiers stationed there. 'They basically do what we do. When they say China spies on us, I say you're right and we spy on them too,' Trump said. The Journal report, citing unnamed US officials, did not allege direct Chinese government involvement, and Chinese officials denied the claim. Trump's comments came ahead of his planned September 24 meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with both governments working to manage trade and geopolitical tensions.