Trump Greets Xi on the Tarmac as State Visit Puts AI in Focus
Donald Trump greeted Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews on the evening of September 23, 2026, to open Xi's state visit to the United States. The Guardian It was their second meeting that year, after Trump's trip to China earlier in 2026.
The visit was planned for two days. Xi traveled with his wife, Peng Liyuan. The White House said the program would follow full state protocol, with President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosting a State Arrival Ceremony for Xi on the morning of Thursday, September 24, 2026, under details released September 21. White House That ceremony was to include a 21-gun salute — cannon fire used as a high military honor — on the South Lawn.
U.S. officials had said ahead of time that Trump intended to meet Xi when he landed near Washington. Reuters The New York Times reported the planeside welcome was rare and described an elaborate ceremony at the landing, a break from normal practice in which protocol staff receive arriving leaders before a White House meeting. The New York Times
The schedule listed a private tea with Donald Trump and Melania Trump and a tour of the National Archives. For Thursday's state dinner, the White House invited leaders from OpenAI, Apple, xAI, Microsoft, Nvidia and Meta.
Melania Trump said on Fox & Friends on the morning of September 23 that Xi should be welcomed on U.S. soil with the most respect. In the week before September 23, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that "WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS" and that the United States is leading China.
The broader context here is protocol as negotiation. A tarmac greeting, a 21-gun salute and a full arrival ceremony give public respect. They also set expectations. The guest list for Thursday is the detail to watch. When a state dinner for China's president includes the heads of major U.S. AI and computer-chip companies, technology talks are not a side event. They are the central event. The tea, the Archives tour and Peng's presence allow direct talks between leaders without public promises. What comes next depends on whether those talks narrow gaps on AI or lock them in.
