{"id":71977,"date":"2026-09-18T23:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T03:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-end-to-iran-conflict-as-xi-jinping-prepares-for-landmark-u-s-visit\/71977\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T23:38:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T03:38:14","slug":"trump-signals-end-to-iran-conflict-as-xi-jinping-prepares-for-landmark-u-s-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-end-to-iran-conflict-as-xi-jinping-prepares-for-landmark-u-s-visit\/71977\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Signals End to Iran Conflict as Xi Jinping Prepares for Landmark U.S. Visit"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President Trump predicts the seven-month war with Iran will end &quot;immediately&quot; after the November 3 midterm elections<\/strong>, claiming Tehran is attempting to influence the vote.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in Washington on September 23<\/strong> for the first state visit by a Chinese leader in over a decade, focusing on AI and trade.<\/li>\n<li><strong>HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed an anti-vaccine conference<\/strong> amid the worst U.S. measles outbreak in 35 years, which has already caused at least four deaths.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">Oil prices<\/a> are expected to remain volatile<\/strong> as Trump defends high energy costs as a necessary sacrifice to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Trump Forecasts Post-Election Peace in Iran<\/h2>\n<p>President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> stated on Saturday that the ongoing conflict with <strong>Iran<\/strong> is nearing its conclusion, suggesting a resolution will occur shortly after the <strong>November 3 midterm elections<\/strong>. Speaking to reporters, the President claimed that Iran is &quot;desperate&quot; to affect the election outcome and cannot sustain the conflict much longer. The war, which began on <strong>February 28, 2026<\/strong>, has now entered its seventh month, significantly impacting global energy markets and regional stability.<\/p>\n<p>The President defended the current surge in energy prices, represented by the United States Oil Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/USO\">USO<\/a>), as a &quot;sacrifice worth making&quot; to ensure Iran does not achieve nuclear status. While Trump expressed optimism about a deal, he also noted that he faces a &quot;big decision&quot; on whether to escalate military action to &quot;annihilate&quot; the regime if negotiations fail. Secretary of State <strong>Marco Rubio<\/strong> confirmed that the U.S. will continue to target Iranian tankers in response to attacks on U.S. naval assets in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>High-Stakes Diplomacy: Xi Jinping&#39;s Washington Visit<\/h2>\n<p>In a significant diplomatic shift, President Trump announced that relations with <strong>President Xi Jinping<\/strong> are &quot;very good&quot; ahead of the Chinese leader&#39;s arrival at <strong>Joint Base Andrews<\/strong> on Wednesday, September 23. In a rare gesture of hospitality, Trump plans to personally greet Xi at the airport before a full state visit begins on Thursday. The summit is expected to address critical economic and technological issues, including <strong>artificial intelligence<\/strong>, rare earth minerals, and a trade truce set to expire in November.<\/p>\n<p>Market analysts are closely watching the iShares MSCI China ETF (<a href=\"\/stock\/MCHI\">MCHI<\/a>) as the two leaders prepare for a &quot;diplomatic double date&quot; involving a state dinner and a tour of the <strong>National Archives<\/strong>. Trump highlighted that while U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods once reached <strong>145%<\/strong>, he has since reduced them to avoid &quot;hurting them too badly.&quot; The meetings aim to establish a &quot;constructive, strategic, and stable relationship&quot; between the world&#39;s two largest economies.<\/p>\n<h2>RFK Jr. Addresses Anti-Vaccine Group Amid Measles Surge<\/h2>\n<p>Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary <strong>Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/strong> delivered a keynote address at the <strong>Children&#39;s Health Defense<\/strong> conference on Thursday, reassuring activists that they have a &quot;steadfast friend&quot; in the White House. The appearance comes as the U.S. battles a severe measles outbreak with <strong>3,471 confirmed cases<\/strong> and four deaths reported in <strong>Pennsylvania<\/strong>. Kennedy&#39;s speech focused on questioning long-established vaccine safety protocols and the current childhood immunization schedule.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the rising death toll, Kennedy claimed the U.S. is &quot;doing better than any country in the world&quot; at controlling the outbreak. However, public health officials and some Republican lawmakers have criticized the Secretary for sowing confusion during a medical crisis. The <strong>Trump administration<\/strong> recently issued an executive order to space out the <strong>MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella)<\/strong> vaccine, a move that contradicts recommendations from major medical associations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Trump predicts the seven-month war with Iran will end &quot;immediately&quot; after the November 3 midterm elections, claiming 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