Trump Posts 'Absurd Spin' On Meeting Where Xi Told Him America Is In Decline
Chinese President Xi Jinping with President Donald Trump at Zhongnanhai Gardens in Beijing on May 14, 2026
During his meeting with President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that the United States is a nation in decline. Trump and his allies, after the meeting, claimed that Jinping was talking about former President Joe Biden—a claim that is drawing some scathing reactions.
Trump, on his Truth Social platform, wrote, "In fact, President Xi congratulated me on so many tremendous successes in such a short period of time. Two years ago, we were, in fact, a Nation in decline."
Similarly, the Trump White House, on X, posted, "When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden. ... But now, the United States is the hottest Nation anywhere in the world."
On X, Trump critics were quick to push back against those claims.
Phillips P. O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, tweeted, "This is both funny and horrifying. Xi spoke openly of the US being in decline, right to Trump’s face. But Trump did not understand it and spent his time praising Xi who had just demeaned US power. Now Trump is contorting himself to cover his ignorance."
Former ambassador and Stanford University political science professor Michael McFaul posted, "Xi was not talking about the United States from two years ago. I don’t understand who is the target audience for this kind of absurd spin."
Futurist and OneShared.World founder Jamie Metzl, argued, "All Americans should be rooting for President Trump to succeed with China and Iran. There is no logical world, however, in which Xi's comments were referring to the past and not the present situation. Unfortunately, President Trump has significantly weakened America's hand vis-a-vis China. Every detail from this trip is telling that story."
Activist Paul Hardy lamented, "Gullible, low-information MAGA supporters may believe Trump’s preposterous and laughable explanation."
Retired marketing specialist Jack Nargundkar commented, "At 70% disapproval rating, it’s all about the base, the base."
Margundkar also posted, "Trump’s face is a window to his mind - and it wasn’t reflecting positive vibes after the meeting with Xi - even though he was mouthing the usual Roy Cohn lines."
Reprinted with permission from Alternet
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