Trump swoons over strongman soulmate Xi – are you feeling jealous, Vladimir?

Trump with President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday. Trump with President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday. The US politics sketch Donald Trump Trump swoons over strongman soulmate Xi – are you feeling jealous, Vladimir? Deference was deafening as US president rolled out red carpet for world’s biggest jailer of journalists – perhaps he was seeking tips

David Smith in Washington Thu 24 Sep 2026 14.30 EDT Last modified on Thu 24 Sep 2026 14.41 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google One is an authoritarian who represses the media with a strong allergy to democratic elections. The other is head of the Chinese Communist party.

Donald Trump welcomed the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to the White House on Thursday, setting the stage for a scene quite unlike anything the august old building has seen over more than two centuries.