Late-Night Hosts Mock Trump's Lavish Welcome for Xi

Key points

• Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews and hosted a two-day state visit, including a White House tour and a state dinner.
• Jimmy Kimmel compared the visit to a nine-year-old showing off toys, highlighting Trump's focus on gold paint and a new helipad.
• Seth Meyers criticized Trump's excessive praise for Xi, noting that even Chinese citizens do not gush as much about their leader.
• Desi Lydic mocked Trump's reaction to the military flyover, calling it embarrassing and comparing it to a baby scaring itself.
• Jimmy Fallon joked about the state dinner menu, which included Big Macs alongside Chinese dishes, and mentioned a raccoon gift to China.

Background

This visit follows recent diplomatic tensions, including UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's request for Trump to press Xi on the fate of Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai. Late-night hosts have previously mocked Trump's handling of international relations and domestic issues, such as his AI skepticism and war in Iran.

How outlets are covering it

Mashable and Rolling Stone focused on Kimmel's 'child showing off toys' analogy and the panda gift joke. The Guardian emphasized Meyers' critique of Trump's praise for Xi and the Republican midterm panic. The New York Times highlighted Lydic's mockery of the military flyover. All outlets agreed the visit was overly lavish and focused on Trump's ego rather than substantive policy discussions.

Why it matters

The late-night reactions reflect broader public skepticism about Trump's foreign policy priorities and the perception that the visit prioritized personal flattery over strategic interests, potentially impacting US-China relations and domestic political support.

What to watch

The focus will likely shift to the outcomes of the US-China trade truce and any policy announcements from the visit, as well as the impact on Republican midterm election prospects.