Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews upon his arrival in the United States—a rare tarmac welcome by a U.S. president to another head of state.
Just as Xi touched down, the Trump administration announced an extension of the U.S.-China trade truce through January 10, easing the threat of a renewed tariff fight during the state visit.
"We will extend what we call the ‘Busan Agreement,' the economic detente between the two countries that was scheduled to end on November 10, that is going to be extended until January 10," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with Bret Baier on Fox News Channel's "Special Report."
Bessent told Baeir that the U.S. hopes to negotiate a more comprehensive economic package by January, but left open the possibility of "rolling" the existing trade deal if additional progress is needed.
"There are some deliverables that have not been perfect on the Chinese side, so we also want to see, now that we’ve sat down and told them our expectations, if over the coming months they can be more fulsome in enacting the agreement," Bessent said.
Trump Greets Xi Ahead of White House Talks
Trump met Xi at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday as the China Air plane landed just before 6 p.m., ahead of their highly anticipated White House meeting on Thursday that likely will focus heavily on trade, tariffs and Taiwan.
An honor guard lined a long red carpet leading from Xi's aircraft as Trump and first lady Melania Trump stood waiting on the tarmac. The U.S. president and his wife greeted Xi and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan with handshakes after they descended the staircase from the plane.
The welcome ceremony included a flyover by two B-1 bombers, military honor units from each branch of the U.S. armed forces, flower presentations, and a ceremonial display of the American and Chinese flags accompanied by both national anthems. The two leaders and their wives exchanged a few words before departing for the White House, roughly 10 miles away, though their conversation was inaudible to reporters.
When contacted for comment before Xi's arrival, the White House gave no further details about the reasons behind the welcome, only confirming that Trump would be at the base.
"He’s coming on our soil, and we need to welcome them with the most respect," Melania Trump said of Xi and his wife during a recent interview on Fox News Channel’s "Fox & Friends."
A sitting American president greeting a foreign head of state at the airport is a rare occurrence. Some notable tarmac meetings include President Dwight Eisenhower meeting Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1959, President John F. Kennedy meeting Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961 and President Ronald Reagan meeting Pope John Paul II in 1987.
Wednesday's greeting will be the first time Trump has welcomed any leader in such a manner during an official state visit, the highest level of diplomatic honor. In 2025, Trump greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac in Anchorage ahead of talks about the Ukraine War.
News outlets reported that Trump's decision to greet Xi rather than receive him at the executive residence shows how Trump is going the extra mile to honor China's leader on his first state visit since 2015.
"Both want the visit to look like a great success," Steve Tsang, director of SOAS University of London's China Institute told Newsweek.
What Is US Protocol for a Head of State Visit?
Under State Department protocol, foreign heads of state arriving at Joint Base Andrews are received by the Chief of Protocol, senior military leaders, the ambassador to the visiting nation, or sometimes a Cabinet official or the vice president.
An official welcoming ceremony with a 21-gun salute, color guard, and national anthems usually takes place on the White House South Lawn.
David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the BBC that the circumstances of the greeting were "quite stunning," given that they would not normally be given to an ally, much less an adversary.
Trump's gesture repays the lavish red-carpet welcome he got in Beijing when he was greeted by Vice President Han Zheng on the runway—a protocol upgrade compared with his 2017 visit.
How Will Xi's Trip Play Out?
Trump is expected to participate in an arrival ceremony at the base with Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, where there will be a military honor guard, according to The Associated Press.
The BBC reported there would be military flyover and nearly 500 military personnel at a White House welcoming ceremony on Thursday.
There will also be bilateral summit talks in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room in which trade, global economic stability, security in the Taiwan Strait, and energy corridors will be discussed.
China's first lady is expected to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art with U.S. first lady Melania Trump on Thursday, the BBC reported.
Xi will attend a formal White House State Dinner which is only the second hosted by Trump in his second term, following the U.S. state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
A lot is at stake during the visit, especially following a U.S.-China trade agreement reached last year that is due to expire in November. There is anticipation of an announcement about a possible extension of this agreement.
"Each may want something from the other but neither is likely to want to let them spoil the visit," said Tsang.
What Happened During Flyover for Xi
Trump’s reaction during the military flyover drew attention online after video footage showed him raising a hand to his forehead and briefly changing his expression as the aircraft passed overhead.
MeidasTouch posted "Trump winces in pain," while another account highlighted the contrast with Xi, who remained still beside him. The footage alone does not establish whether Trump was in pain or simply reacting to the noise.
Trump’s decision to wear black gloves during the outdoor welcome also prompted speculation on social media.
Video footage from the ceremony showed the president wearing the gloves as he walked beside Xi along the red carpet.
Political commentator Aaron Rupar noted on X that the temperature at Joint Base Andrews was reported as 64 degrees at the time. The White House has not publicly explained the wardrobe choice.
Trump Greets Xi on Tarmac With Red Carpet
The "literal" red-carpet welcome extended to Xi became another focus of attention online, with some social media users objecting to the elaborate reception given to the Chinese leader.
Conservative activist Laura Loomer criticized the display in a widely viewed post, while other commentators circulated footage of personnel rolling the carpet into place before Xi descended from the aircraft.
"Wow. There was an actual red carpet waiting for Xi Jinping today at Joint Base Andrews," Loomer wrote on X.
"We use the term 'red carpet treatment' to explain the opulence of an event, but I didn’t think there would be a LITERAL red carpet. But there was."
The ceremony formed part of the rare personal Tarmac welcome.
Images of Trump and Xi standing side by side also revived online debate about the U.S. president’s stated height.
One viral post questioned how Trump, officially listed as taller than Xi, appeared similar in height to the Chinese leader in images from the ceremony.
Photographs can distort apparent height because of posture, footwear, camera angle and perspective. The images from Joint Base Andrews do not provide a reliable measurement of either leader.
The latest publicly released White House medical report lists Trump’s height as 75 inches, or 6 feet 3 inches. The measurement appeared in the physician’s summary of his April 2025 physical at Walter Reed.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Geoffrey Rowland.
Update, 09/24/2026 5:19 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.