Trump, Melania to host China’s Xi and Peng Liyuan for White House ‘double date’
Officials outline a two-couple White House state visit, confirming AI, rare earths and US car market access are on the agenda
US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will host Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan across two days in Washington next week.
The itinerary: a White House welcome, a state dinner at which both presidents speak, a private tea and a tour of the United States’ founding documents.
At a briefing late on Friday, senior US officials described a state visit built around the two couples as a diplomatic “double date” – with the hard bargaining underneath.
The pageantry will sit beside talks on artificial intelligence (AI), a trade truce that expires in November, rare earths, fentanyl and detained foreigners. Officials also hinted that Chinese investment in the US car market could be discussed, but only if existing US national security rules were met.