WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Trump welcomed Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews during an arrival ceremony featuring a B-1 bomber flyover.
- Possible discussions include trade, artificial intelligence, and individuals the United States considers wrongfully detained by China.
- Roger Wicker warned Trump to remember Xi’s authoritarian rule and China’s military posture during the talks.
- Adam Schiff urged greater AI safety coordination while confronting China’s efforts to overtake the United States in AI development.
President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States at Joint Base Andrews, opening a rare state visit with an energetic arrival ceremony.
A B-1 bomber flyover added military spectacle to the greeting as the two leaders prepared for a potentially wide ranging set of discussions.
Xi arrived with his wife, Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, who will participate in the visit.
First Lady Melania Trump is set to host a state dinner while the Chinese president is in Washington.
The visit marks Xi’s first state visit to the United States since 2015, when Barack Obama was president.
WATCH:
.@POTUS salutes as the Star-Spangled Banner is played — and B-1 aircraft fly overhead pic.twitter.com/lOvdZR8y6z
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 23, 2026
Xi also traveled to Florida in 2017 to meet with Trump, giving the two leaders another encounter before this latest Washington gathering.
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Trump and Xi could address several major subjects during the trip.
The possible agenda includes the artificial intelligence race as well as individuals whom the United States considers to be wrongfully detained by the Chinese government.
Artificial intelligence has emerged as one of the central issues identified ahead of the visit.
The subject carries both competitive and safety concerns in the statements offered by lawmakers before Trump’s conversations with the Chinese leader.
The scheduled events will not be limited to formal discussions between Trump and Xi.
Melania Trump’s state dinner will bring the leaders and their wives together during the Washington portion of the visit.
Trump, Xi, Melania Trump, and Peng are also expected to visit the National Archives on Friday.
That appearance will place all four together during one of the publicly identified stops on the visit.
Capitol Hill lawmakers offered their own views about the direction Trump’s discussions with Xi should take.
Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, pointed to both trade and artificial intelligence as appropriate subjects for the president to raise.
“I know the President intends to discuss trade and AI with the Chinese leadership—and rightfully so. Perhaps some progress will be made,” Wicker posted to X.
WATCH:
I know the President intends to discuss trade and AI with the Chinese leadership—and rightfully so. Perhaps some progress will be made. But, during every minute of dialogue, our commander-in-chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected, and oppressive dictator… pic.twitter.com/v1b1Q5mKGT
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) September 22, 2026
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Wicker’s remarks left room for progress but also delivered a blunt warning about the Chinese president and his government.
He urged Trump to keep Xi’s record and China’s military posture firmly in mind throughout every part of the dialogue.
“But, during every minute of dialogue, our commander-in-chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected, and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose military arsenal is aimed directly at the U.S. of America,” Wicker added.
Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, placed his emphasis on artificial intelligence.
He called for Trump to pursue greater coordination on AI safety while also addressing China’s attempts to surpass the United States in developing the technology.
“Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will meet in Washington this week. It’s critical that President Trump use this moment to secure increased AI safety coordination on the shared risks that frontier models hold, while also confronting China’s calculated efforts to overtake the U.S. in the AI development race,” Schiff wrote.
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will meet in Washington this week. It’s critical that President Trump use this moment to secure increased AI safety coordination on the shared risks that frontier models hold, while also confronting China’s calculated efforts to overtake the U.S. in…
— Senator Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) September 23, 2026
The lawmakers’ statements highlighted different concerns surrounding the closely watched visit.
Wicker stressed trade, AI, Xi’s authoritarian rule, China’s ambitions toward its neighbors, and its military arsenal, while Schiff concentrated on AI safety and the technological competition between Washington and Beijing.
Trump’s welcome at Joint Base Andrews opened a visit combining ceremony, diplomatic discussion, and public events in Washington.
With trade, artificial intelligence, detained individuals, and China’s military posture all raised ahead of the meetings, the rare appearance has drawn pointed attention from Capitol Hill.
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