Trump greets Chinese President Xi with red-carpet ceremony amid mixed political reactions
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U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping with a series of ceremonial welcomes at the White House, prompting both praise and criticism from Republican lawmakers.
President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday before escorting the Chinese delegation onto a 100-foot red carpet that was laid out again at the White House the following morning. The two leaders attended a state dinner featuring sesame-crusted sea bass, braised bok choy, vanilla crémeux and honey ice cream, and Trump presented Xi with a bronze bald-eagle statue.
"As the leaders of our two nations, President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure, and we’ve never gotten along better since the first trade ships from New York left the harbor to arrive on the banks of the Pearl River," Trump said during the dinner.
In joint remarks, Trump said the relationship between the United States and China had been built on "a truly great friendship" since his 2016 election, while Xi described their interaction as a "personal rapport" that had been maintained.
The summit, which also included a private Oval Office meeting, was set to cover trade, the conflict in Iran, and artificial-intelligence cooperation. No major breakthroughs were expected, and analysts noted that the United States entered the talks with limited leverage.
Republican senators expressed divergent views of the hospitality. Senator Roger Wicker warned that the lavish welcome was inappropriate given ongoing concerns about China’s actions, and Senator Lisa Murkowski called the red-carpet treatment "a little bit over the top." Senator John Kennedy questioned the president’s judgment, saying he did not believe the Chinese leader’s statements.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would explore a proposed hotline for AI-related emergencies with China. The two sides also agreed to extend a trade truce on rare-earth materials for an additional two months.
The White House’s decision to bar several news outlets, including CNN and MS NOW, from covering the summit led to a brief legal dispute and a temporary reduction in televised coverage. Trump posted on social media that the excluded networks had "refused to cover one of the biggest and most beautiful events" involving President Xi’s visit.