Trump's Shift on China: Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Xi

President Donald Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state dinner on Thursday, marking a dramatic shift from his decade-old campaign rhetoric that called China a menace to the U.S. economy. Trump now speaks glowingly of Xi, calling him "a great gentleman," and has given Beijing a pass on issues like satellite imagery provided to Iran and alleged U.S. voter file access. His initial tariff strategy backfired, as China leveraged its rare earth monopoly to force a trade armistice. Trump has also undermined traditional alliances, with experts saying he is executing Xi's wedge tactics and helping portray China as the more stable power. The visit's policy outcomes remain unclear, with analysts warning the U.S. may not be positioning itself adequately for competition.