Pandas and Eagles and A.I., Oh My! Trump Throws a State Dinner for Xi

Takeaways from the Trump-Xi state visit: Pageantry and pandas

The visit comes at an important time for both men.

Sep 25, 2026

Pandas and Eagles and A.I., Oh My! Trump Throws a State Dinner for Xi

Altman. Musk. Huang. Bezos. They all came to the White House Thursday night, though you might not have seen it on TV.

Sep 25, 2026

Trump criticized Obama’s state dinner for Xi before holding his own

President Trump criticized former President Barack Obama for hosting Chinese presidents for state dinners, including Xi Jinping, multiple times over a decade before doing it himself. Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday and hosted a state dinner for him on Thursday. But back in 2016, Trump criticized state dinners, saying, “we…

Sep 25, 2026