Trump hosts Xi while calling Democrats 'communists'

President Donald Trump is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit this week while simultaneously branding Democrats as "communists" ahead of November's midterm elections, creating contradictions that risk muddying Republican attack lines. Trump and Republicans argue Democrats have moved too far left, citing democratic socialist primary wins, while the administration has taken government stakes in over 30 private companies, including Intel and Westinghouse, drawing criticism from figures like Sen. Rand Paul. Trump has bragged about his close relationship with Xi, building a White House helipad to impress him. Trump's admiration for Xi reflects his fascination with strongmen, including Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, though he criticized Obama for hosting Xi in 2015. His July speech accusing China of election meddling was quickly downplayed, with officials unlikely to raise the issue during the summit.