"🔥 TOTAL SUMMIT COLLAPSE! — TRUMP WALKS OUT AS AN UNTHINKABLE TRUTH IS REVEALED!"
President Donald Trump personally welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States on Wednesday evening, beginning a closely watched three-day state visit as Washington and Beijing agreed to extend their fragile trade truce through Jan. 10.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump traveled to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to greet Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, as they stepped off their plane, an unusual presidential gesture ahead of formal meetings between the leaders at the White House.
A 100-foot red carpet was rolled out across the tarmac, where Trump and Xi shook hands, exchanged brief remarks, and posed for photographs.
A military band played during the ceremony, which also included ceremonial cannon fire and a flyover by a B-1 bomber.
The greeting marked a break from the more common practice of the president formally welcoming a visiting foreign leader at the White House.
According to C-SPAN records cited by Reuters, Barack Obama was the last president to personally greet a foreign leader at Joint Base Andrews when he welcomed Pope Francis in 2015.
The White House had announced in advance that Trump would meet Xi and Peng at Joint Base Andrews before Thursday’s elaborate state arrival ceremony.
Nearly 480 members of the U.S. military will participate in events surrounding the White House visit.
Trump’s decision to personally meet Xi also follows the elaborate reception the American president received during his May visit to China. Trump and Xi met in Beijing during that trip and announced a series of economic agreements intended to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies.
Xi’s arrival coincided with another significant development in the economic relationship.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday that U.S. and Chinese negotiators had agreed to extend their existing trade truce through Jan. 10.
The agreement had been scheduled to expire Nov. 10.
“I don’t know whether a bigger deal can be done. I don’t know whether we will just roll the current deal,” Bessent said, explaining that the extension provides additional time for negotiations.
The current arrangement has prevented another sharp escalation in the trade conflict between Washington and Beijing. At its most intense point, retaliatory tariffs imposed by the two countries exceeded 100%, severely disrupting trade between them.
The two governments subsequently reached agreements that reduced some tariffs and temporarily suspended additional trade restrictions.
Under an earlier agreement reached by Trump and Xi, China committed to suspend several retaliatory tariffs and restrictions, including measures affecting American agricultural products. Beijing also agreed to make substantial purchases of U.S. soybeans and address American concerns involving exports of rare-earth minerals and other critical materials.
Despite the trade truce, significant disagreements remain.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss China’s restrictions involving rare-earth minerals, U.S. controls on exports of advanced semiconductor technology, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and Beijing’s relationships with Russia and Iran. Reuters reported that expectations for a sweeping new agreement during the Washington visit remain limited.
Xi, in a statement carried by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency following his arrival, said the two countries should seek a more stable relationship and operate as “partners, not rivals.”
The administration is proceeding with extensive ceremonial events.
Trump and Xi participated Thursday in a formal state arrival ceremony at the White House featuring military units and a flyover by a B-2 Spirit bomber accompanied by four F-22 Raptors.
The presidents will then hold bilateral talks before Trump and the First Lady host Xi and Peng at a state dinner Thursday evening.
On Friday, the two couples are scheduled to have tea at the White House before visiting the National Archives.
"🚨 BRANSON'S SCATHING ATTACK! — HE BLASTS TRUMP OVER PUTIN TIES AND URGES EUROPE TO STAND FIRM!"
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has launched a fierce public attack on Donald Trump, accusing the U.S. administration of appeasing dictators and putting personal preferences ahead of American and allied interests.
The Virgin Group founder made his criticism in a LinkedIn post published this week, questioning why Trump appeared so willing to accommodate Russian President Vladimir Putin while Ukraine continues to face Russia’s invasion.
Branson described the administration as an “appeaser to autocrats and dictators,” arguing that its approach could weaken confidence among America’s traditional allies and undermine the interests of democratic nations.
He also raised a pointed question about the president’s relationship with Putin, asking why Trump seemed to flatter the Russian leader despite the continuing war and widespread international concern over Moscow’s actions.
The remarks come amid renewed controversy over a reported agreement involving Russian diesel supplies and a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian energy exports.
Trump has defended the arrangement as beneficial to fuel markets, while critics argue that allowing Russian energy revenues to flow could indirectly help Moscow sustain its war effort.
Branson called the deal deeply hypocritical, pointing to the contrast between Washington’s previous willingness to penalize countries purchasing Russian energy and its own decision to ease restrictions.
His criticism extended beyond energy policy. He also condemned Trump’s public attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing the administration’s treatment of Ukraine as a betrayal during a period of war and suffering.
The billionaire’s intervention follows mounting concern in Kyiv and across Europe about the durability of American support for Ukraine, particularly as diplomatic efforts have struggled to produce a lasting settlement.
Branson also expressed alarm about reports involving restrictions on Starshield services used by Ukraine, a technology issue that has raised questions about the country’s access to crucial battlefield communications.
Some of Branson’s claims about the consequences of satellite-service restrictions have not been independently confirmed, and the details of decisions involving military communications remain disputed.
He urged European leaders to respond more decisively, arguing that the continent cannot simply wait for Washington to determine the future of Ukraine’s security and its broader relationship with Russia.
His proposed response reportedly included considering the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and supplying more advanced weapons, measures that would intensify the confrontation with Moscow.
The comments place Branson among a relatively small group of prominent business leaders willing to criticize Trump directly over foreign policy, despite the political and commercial sensitivities surrounding such interventions.
Branson has previously spoken out in support of Ukraine and criticized approaches that he believes would pressure Kyiv into accepting an unfavorable peace agreement with Russia.
The latest dispute also comes at a politically sensitive moment in the United States, with congressional midterm elections approaching and foreign policy increasingly intertwined with domestic debates over leadership and national priorities.
Supporters of Trump’s approach may argue that direct engagement with Moscow and energy-market flexibility can serve American interests, even when such policies provoke disagreement among allies.
Critics counter that concessions to Russia risk weakening deterrence and sending an unsettling message to countries relying on the United States for diplomatic, economic and military support.
The disagreement reflects a broader debate over whether negotiations and economic pragmatism can help end the war—or whether they could give Moscow additional leverage without securing meaningful concessions.
For Ukraine, the stakes remain immediate: continued military pressure, uncertainty over international support and the search for a settlement that preserves its sovereignty remain central concerns.
Branson’s intervention adds another prominent voice to the dispute, challenging the White House’s handling of Russia and demanding a stronger response from Europe as the conflict continues.
