Trump rolls out military display for Xi's first US state visit in over a decade

President Trump is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a three-day state visit starting September 23, featuring an unprecedented welcome that includes a planeside greeting at Joint Base Andrews and a military display with 479 personnel, a B-2 bomber, and four F-22 Raptors. The visit, Xi's first US state visit in over a decade, includes a formal State Arrival Ceremony on September 24 with full honors, a state dinner co-hosted by Melania Trump, and a meeting between the First Lady and Peng Liyuan at the Smithsonian. The elaborate protocol marks a departure from standard diplomatic practice, reflecting the administration's push for tangible outcomes despite tensions over trade, AI, and Taiwan.