President Trump will personally raise the case of an American pastor detained in China during his upcoming state visit to Beijing, responding to a family’s desperate plea for help as the man enters his eighth year behind bars.
Ezra Jin, a naturalized U.S. citizen and evangelical pastor, has been held in Chinese custody since 2018 on what his family and religious freedom advocates call fabricated charges. The White House confirmed Wednesday that Trump intends to press Chinese President Xi Jinping directly on Jin’s release during meetings scheduled for later this month.
Jin’s detention represents one of dozens of cases where American citizens or permanent residents face imprisonment in countries with hostile or competitive relationships with the United States. His family says they’ve exhausted diplomatic channels and now see Trump’s personal intervention as their last hope.
The pastor’s wife, who has not seen her husband in person for more than five years, told Fox News that Jin’s health has deteriorated significantly during his imprisonment. She described video calls where he appeared frail and disoriented, raising concerns about medical neglect or worse treatment behind closed doors.
Trump’s willingness to elevate the case comes as U.S.-China relations remain strained over trade policy, military posturing in the Pacific, and Beijing’s continued support for authoritarian regimes. Religious persecution of Christians in China has intensified under Xi’s government, with house churches shuttered and pastors forced to register with state-controlled religious bodies.
Jin’s imprisonment falls into a pattern Chinese authorities have used against Western citizens—detaining them on vague national security or fraud charges, then using them as leverage in broader negotiations. Several Western governments have accused Beijing of “hostage diplomacy.”
The upcoming Beijing visit marks Trump’s first presidential trip to China since returning to office. Beyond Jin’s case, the president faces pressure to secure commitments on fentanyl precursor chemicals flowing from Chinese manufacturers and to address China’s military buildup near Taiwan.
Religious freedom advocates praised Trump’s decision to raise Jin’s detention personally rather than leaving it to lower-level diplomatic staff. They argue that only direct presidential pressure has proven effective in securing releases from authoritarian governments.
The White House has not specified what concessions, if any, Trump might offer in exchange for Jin’s release. Previous administrations have wrestled with whether securing individual American releases creates incentives for more detentions.
Jin’s family says they simply want him home before it’s too late.
Key Points
- American pastor Ezra Jin has been detained in China since 2018 on what family calls fabricated charges
- Trump will raise Jin’s case directly with Xi Jinping during upcoming state visit to Beijing
- Religious freedom advocates say only direct presidential pressure has proven effective in securing releases from authoritarian governments
https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-pledges-raise-detained-pastors-case-xi-jinping-beijing-visit-family-pleads-help – May 15, 2026
