Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have no shortage of difficult issues to cover when they sit down for talks Thursday at the White House. The leaders are tackling issues like trade irritants, artificial intelligence safeguards and the war in Iran. Trump wants China to use its influence with Iran, while Xi seeks a halt to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. A fragile trade truce had been set to expire in November, but the two countries agreed Wednesday to extend it for two months.
Also, a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's ban on three news outlets from the White House grounds, ordering early Thursday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored. The ruling hands the outlets at least a temporary reprieve in what has been an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.
Here's the latest:
Trump-Xi schedule does not include a joint news conference
The presidents of the U.S. and China are scheduled to deliver remarks Thursday morning at the White House and again in the evening as part of a state dinner.
The schedule does not include a news conference and it’s unclear whether Trump and Xi will take questions from either American or Chinese reporters.
In a 2015 meeting, Xi and President Barack Obama held a joint news conference as part of a White House summit. In the Rose Garden, which Trump has since turned into a patio, each president made opening remarks. Then they each answered one question from a U.S. reporter and another from a Chinese reporter before taking additional, nation-specific questions.
The Trump-Xi summit comes as U.S. networks are boycotting White House pool coverage in protest of Trump stripping credentials from MS Now, Politico and CNN.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters still blocked from the White House
That's a few hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's ban of the three news outlets from the White House and ordered early Thursday that their access must be restored.
The back-and-forth is the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.
Trump makes a protocol error as he compliments China’s first lady
The U.S. president offered enthusiastic praise for China’s first couple — but with a social faux pas.
“I met President Xi at the plane (Airport!) yesterday and he looks strong, vibrant, and fit — Better than ever. Madam Xi, of course, BEAUTIFUL!” he posted on Truth Social.
The latter reference was to President Xi Jinping’s wife, Peng Liyuan.
She is properly recognized as Madame Peng. She is correctly listed that way by the White House in its public itinerary for the Trump-Xi meetings and state dinner.
Officials typically take great care in international meetings to honor the titles and protocols of other delegations.
In one visit with Queen Elizabeth II, Trump flouted royal protocol by walking ahead of the late British monarch. In 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama continued speaking at a Buckingham Palace banquet as the queen’s band played “God Save the Queen.”
US-China trade truce welcomed but leaves issues unresolved
Analysts welcomed the extension of the trade truce U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday but said it left unresolved many of the issues that divide the United States and China.
“Agreeing to the extension is positive, but agreement to merely avoid an all-out tariff war for a few months is not a cause for celebration and is probably the minimum necessary to call the summit a success,” said Jeff Moon, a former U.S. diplomat and trade official specializing in China.
“The summit will be heavy on pomp and circumstance and light on substance, so the question is whether (extending the trade truce) will be the principal summit deliverable (or) whether the leaders will also tackle more ambitious goals as well,’’ said Moon, who now runs the China Moon Strategies consultancy.
Trump continues his rebranding effort on AI
In his Truth Social post Thursday on AI, Trump again referred to “Super Intelligence” rather than “artificial intelligence.”
Trump used his new preferred term earlier this week at the United Nations, and he's ordered U.S. diplomats to follow suit.
The U.S. president has said Americans’ widespread skepticism about AI is unfounded, and he’s trying to put the technology and its future in a better light.
It’s the latest example of how much Trump, a former reality TV star, cares about branding.
When Republicans’ sweeping domestic policy bill was lagging in 2025, he dubbed it “The Big Beautiful Bill.” His investment accounts for U.S. newborns are called “Trump Accounts.” In private business, Trump has put his name on everything from buildings and golf courses to steaks, shoes and Bibles.
Trump suggests summit with Xi won’t yield any shift on AI
The U.S. president and Chinese president have both taken a hands-off view of artificial intelligence. Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday that AI would be a “big topic of discussion” when the two presidents meet later at the White House.
“But I want to leave it exactly where it is,” Trump said, adding “that is China’s position also.”
Trump said the U.S. Department of Justice is “our guardrail.”
Trump has said any AI regulation should be handled by the federal government, but he hasn’t pushed Congress for any major action on the matter. And he’s opposed state government regulatory moves.
Sea bass, Christopher Macchio and red highlight China state dinner
The ritzy black-tie event honoring Xi will be held in the White House East Room, featuring décor that “draws on the color red’s longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history,” first lady Melania Trump said as she released key details.
Tables will sport rich red linens and be set using the Reagan-era china service, with its alternating gold and red bands. Urns will overflow with red blossoms.
Dinner will begin with a toast honoring the historic “Toast to Peace” between President Richard Nixon and China’s Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972.
The menu includes sesame-crusted sea bass served with braised bok choy and roasted eggplant, and White House honey ice cream for dessert.
American tenor Christopher Macchio, who sings at Trump events, will lead the after-dinner entertainment. Musicians from the U.S. military will also perform.
China and the U.S. have held first AI dialogue, China’s commerce ministry says
China’s commerce ministry said Thursday that Beijing will maintain close communication with the U.S. following their first dialogue on artificial intelligence.
The ministry's comments at a regular news conference came after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held economic and trade talks in New York. The ministry did not give out further details about the AI dialogue. However, Bessent said earlier that the U.S. proposed a notification mechanism between the two countries for national security-related AI incidents.
The two countries on Wednesday also agreed to extend their trade truce set to expire on Nov. 10.
Judge orders White House to restore access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico
A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's ban of three news outlets from the White House grounds, ordering early Thursday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored.
The ruling hands the outlets at least a temporary reprieve in what has been an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.
Trump first announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called "fake news," and only later arguing that their reporting was a risk to national security. The outlets argued in a joint lawsuit that the ban was a blatant violation of the First Amendment because it singled them out for the content of their coverage.
In his late-night ruling, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the three outlets’ access. He said they had met the legal thresholds to obtain a temporary restraining order, in effect for 14 days, and were likely to succeed in showing that their press passes were revoked without due process.
Trump and Xi Jinping head into Washington summit with both leaders thinking time is on their side
Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have no shortage of difficult issues to cover when they sit down for talks Thursday at the White House.
China has resisted the Trump administration's urgings — and economic threats — to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the nearly seven-month war. Xi wants to see Trump permanently halt arms sales to Taiwan and loosen export restrictions on cutting-edge advanced chips. And the two sides on Wednesday agreed to extend a one-year trade truce set to expire Nov. 10 for two months, kicking the can on finding a more durable agreement.
All the while, both leaders seem to believe time is on their side as they look to outmaneuver the other in what's expected to be the world’s most significant economic and national security competition for years to come.
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