Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s arrival in Washington — and the fanfare surrounding his visit — is running into criticism by some Republicans who are concerned about the optics.
One person close to the White House told Semafor that rolling out the red carpet for Xi is “weird if POTUS lavishes a bunch of praise while simultaneously [saying] China is our biggest adversary.”
Republicans seem to agree: Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker delivered a floor speech insinuating Trump should not be hosting Xi while four of his colleagues penned a letter reiterating concerns over Taiwan.
The White House is brushing off the criticism, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly noting that Trump “is reciprocating” Xi’s “hospitality” after Trump visited China over the summer.
“The president will forge relationships with anyone in order to advance our national interests and make good deals for the American people,” she added.
The two countries have already agreed to extend a trade truce until next year, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Some Republicans have defended Trump for hosting the Chinese leader.
“As somebody who represents an [agriculture] state, we need the market,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday. “We need to trade with them. So I think you want to figure out how to deal with the more controversial parts of the relationship, but there’s value in talking it out.”
Burgess Everett contributed reporting.