Trump Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Xi as White House Summit Kicks Off

Breaking

President Donald Trump opened a high-stakes, three-day state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping with a display of pageantry rarely seen in Washington. On Wednesday, September 23, Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews with a 100-foot red carpet at the foot of the plane, a 21-person honor guard, and a flyover by two B-1 bombers. According to reporting on the arrival, it was the first time in more than six decades that a sitting U.S. president has met a visiting foreign political leader at the base. Trump described the encounter to reporters as “a great little meeting, a great greeting,” adding, “I think they appreciate it.”

The pomp continued Thursday morning on the South Lawn of the White House, where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a formal arrival ceremony and military review that included a B-2 bomber and fighter jet flyover. In his opening remarks, Trump said the two leaders “have forged a friendship, a truly great friendship, actually.” Xi told the audience that the two nations “must hold the line of no conflict and no confrontation” and announced that two giant pandas would soon make their new home at Zoo Atlanta. Oval Office talks and a black-tie state dinner with American technology leaders were scheduled to follow, with the visit wrapping up Friday with a private tea and a tour of the National Archives.

Details & Background

The most concrete development so far is on trade. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States and China have extended their trade truce, which had been set to expire on November 10, to January 10, 2027. Bessent said the extension would “give the leaders more time to talk about the issues at upcoming international summits.” Bessent has also said China proposed a “bigger deal” on trade, while cautioning that he does not know whether a larger agreement can be reached. The truce keeps both nations from sliding back into a costly tariff war that has hit American farmers, manufacturers and consumers.

The Washington summit follows Trump’s own state visit to Beijing in May, when the two sides announced plans for a new Board of Trade and Investment and China agreed to purchases of Boeing jets and American farm products. This week’s agenda is crowded: trade and tariffs, competition over artificial intelligence, Beijing’s close ties to Iran during the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Tehran, Taiwan and a roughly $14 billion arms package currently on hold, fentanyl trafficking, and the release of Americans imprisoned in China. The administration has proposed a notification system so each country can alert the other to AI incidents that threaten national security. On Iran, Trump told reporters, “I’ll be talking about that and many other subjects — but it’s all coming along well.”

Reactions

Not every Republican is cheering the lavish reception. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, publicly objected to the welcome. “Our commander in chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America,” Wicker said. The White House quickly pushed back. “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, but unfortunately that opinion is wrong,” Deputy Press Secretary Taylor Rogers said. “The president is doing what is best for our national interests here.”

Foreign policy veterans were also skeptical. Former U.S. diplomat Danny Russel said the planeside ceremony delivered “a propaganda win for Beijing,” and other analysts have predicted limited policy breakthroughs from the summit. Democrats in Congress, meanwhile, have urged Trump to press Xi on China’s support for Iran. Beijing’s messaging has been warm: according to Chinese state media, Xi said the two countries should be partners rather than rivals and said he looked forward to in-depth exchanges with Trump on major issues.

Why This Matters to You

For American families, the stakes of this summit are practical. The extended trade truce means tariffs that could raise prices on everyday goods, and Chinese retaliation that could hurt American farmers and energy producers, are on hold for now. Any follow-through on Chinese purchases of American soybeans, aircraft and other products would support jobs across the heartland. Trump has made clear that he sees personal relationships with foreign leaders as leverage, and this week will test whether that approach produces results for American workers.

The national security stakes are just as serious. China remains America’s chief military and economic rival, a close partner of Iran, and a direct threat to Taiwan. How Trump handles AI competition, the stalled Taiwan arms package and Beijing’s ties to Tehran will shape American security for years. The red carpet has been rolled out. Now Americans will be watching to see whether Trump can turn the goodwill into hard commitments that protect American jobs, American technology and American lives.