Nikki McCann Ramirez
View all posts by Nikki McCann Ramirez September 24, 2026 Add us as a Google Preferred Source
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First Lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, President of China Xi Jinping, and First Lady of China Peng Liyuan at the White House on Sept. 24, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Can the president behave like a normal, respectable human during a critical meeting with one of the United States most powerful economic, military, and cultural adversaries? No, absolutely not.
Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday amid a battle with the press corps and a looming midterm elections. Trump for the past two years has been goading China into a trade war, and the technological arms race between the two superpowers, particularly as it pertains to artificial intelligence, has been heating up. Meanwhile, China has been helping Iran amid its war with the U.S.
It’s unclear whether Trump’s goal was to intimidate or impress Xi, but the day’s activities probably did more to solidify the national and global impression of Trump as an easily distracted, unserious president who doesn’t have his priorities straight.
Trump literally rolled out the red carpet for Xi on Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews. The president loves flyovers — he has them at practically any event he attends with an open view to the sky — yet this time, as the planes roared over him and his guest, he gave an undignified full body flinch. The following morning, ahead of Xi’s visit to the White House, Trump gushed on Truth Social that he had “met President Xi at the plane (Airport!) yesterday and he looks strong, vibrant, and fit — Better than ever. Madam Xi, of course, BEAUTIFUL!”
Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping looks “strong, vibrant, and fit – Better than ever.” pic.twitter.com/UGIaSN4fvL
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) September 24, 2026
At the White House, Chinese reporters and state media clashed with Secret Service agents about where they would be allowed to stand in order to view the presidents. Meanwhile, American news outlets CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were fighting in court to be allowed to enter the White House grounds and actually cover the state visit. Around noon, the administration finally honored a court order temporarily halting their unconstitutional attempt to ban the three outlets and let them in.
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Chaos ahead of Xi Jinping’s arrival at the White House as the travelling Chinese press corps push and shove their way into position. Lots of shouting and raised voices as they refuse to move for Secret Service. A reminder that they trampled a White House staff member during… pic.twitter.com/l78TYLLkaa
— Connor Stringer (@connorstringer) September 24, 2026
It got weirder from there, with Trump and Xi attending a White House welcome ceremony that for some reason was attended by Ivanka Trump — the president’s daughter who holds no official government role — and her daughter, Arabella Kushner. Other members of Trump’s cabinet, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also present, although seated farther down the aisle from Trump’s daughter and granddaughter. The Chinese National Anthem was played during the ceremony.
Trump of course took Xi on a tour of the many home improvement projects he has undertaken throughout the White House. He showed him the pit where his massive ballroom will sit, and his new helipad. “He has great interest in granite. He likes granite. He’s an expert on stone,” Trump later said of Xi. “He loves good granite.”
Trump: "We had a great meeting and he has great interest in granite. He likes granite. He's an expert on stone. And he loves good granite. Thank you very much." pic.twitter.com/iTYWgePzTi
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 24, 2026
Trump also led Xi down the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” stopping to show him the photo of an autopen he’d had framed in place of a portrait of former President Joe Biden.
.@POTUS shows President Xi the Biden Autopen photo 🤣 pic.twitter.com/L0PbjQe2Aj
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) September 24, 2026
Trump showed Xi a photo of the two of them shaking hands at a previous meeting that he’d had blown up and framed, and guided him around the gaudy, gilded Oval Office, posing for photographs at every stop. The main event, however, is the decadent three-course state dinner set for Thursday night, where Trump’s favorite tenor, Christopher Macchio, is set to perform.
