President Trump’s Solo Engagements with Xi Jinping

During a gathering at the United Nations on Tuesday and upcoming meetings with China’s Xi Jinping on Thursday, the U.S. president largely operates without ally support.

As of September 21, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. EDT, recent developments show this dynamic. China’s President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the United States, mirrored by an earlier ceremonial welcome for President Donald Trump in Beijing. This event took place on May 14 at the Great Hall of the People, captured by Brendan Smialowski for AFP/Getty Images.

On Wednesday, President Trump plans to meet Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews. This engagement marks his independent approach to interacting with one of his significant geopolitical counterparts.