Trump greets Xi on tarmac for first US state visit in over a decade
wmur.com —
President Trump will greet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, marking Xi's first US state visit in over a decade. The rare planeside welcome signals Trump's effort to honor the Chinese leader. The three-day visit includes a formal state dinner Thursday and reciprocates the pageantry of Trump's May trip to China. Tensions remain high over trade, AI, Iran, and Taiwan, though expectations for major breakthroughs are low. Senator Roger Wicker criticized the "lavish welcome," calling Xi a "brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator." Trump has praised Xi as a "great leader" and friend, while planning tours and private teas alongside business leaders like Elon Musk.