Trump and Xi Meet, but Hopes for AI Cooperation Stay Slim
Trump kept steering Xi Jinping’s visit toward a White House ballroom project he said is ahead of schedule and already has its first column in place.
- On Thursday, President Donald Trump went "off script" during a state dinner, inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping and guests to tour the White House ballroom construction site, claiming it is one year from completion.
- Throughout the ballroom's construction, President Trump has repeatedly cited China's Great Hall as his inspiration, aiming to replace the East Room with a 90,000-square-foot space holding 650 seats.
- Trump claimed construction costs about $400 million, though contractors told the administration it would cost $600 million; American University's David Ryan Miller questioned the security implications of touring a potential bunker.
- Tech leaders including SpaceX's Elon Musk, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg attended the dinner amid diplomatic tensions, while critics slammed the tour as a security risk.
- The Supreme Court recently allowed the ballroom construction to proceed despite ongoing legal challenges, as the state visit occurs amid midterm election pressures and broader diplomatic friction over trade policies.
31 Articles
31 Articles
Trump left the protocol at dinner with Xi Jinping and invited the guests to visit the construction site of the ballroom at the White House.
Trump Invites Xi To Tour His “Beautiful Ballroom”
The New York Post reports: President Trump presented Chinese leader Xi Jinping with a sculpture of a bald eagle and invited him to tour the White House ballroom “construction site” during his toast at the state dinner Thursday night. “The bald eagle is the national symbol of the United States and an embodiment of the free and soaring spirit of America,” Trump said. “And we hope it will find a nice place, a wonderful place, in Beijing.” Trump sai…
Trump Invites Xi Dinner Guests Behind a Curtain for a 'Special Treat' and Reveals an Unfinished Ballroom
During a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, Donald Trump invited guests including senior officials, Supreme Court justices and technology executives to tour the unfinished White House ballroom.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
