Fact Check: Did Trump once slam Obama for hosting Xi Jinping at the Pentagon?
WASHINGTON, DC: After President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House for a summit, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that Trump once slammed former President Barack Obama for hosting Xi at the Pentagon. The claim has sparked criticism and speculation, prompting a fact-check.
Claim: Trump once slammed Barack Obama for hosting Xi Jinping
The rumor surfaced with the circulation of a screenshot claiming to show a tweet by Trump. The alleged tweet read, “So wrong! @Barack Obama is hosting China's VP Xi Jinping today at the Pentagon with a full honor ceremony with music and cannons…”
The alleged screenshot has been shared on multiple social media handles, garnering millions of views. Many users accused Trump of being a hypocrite, while a few others dismissed the claim as fake and called the screenshot fabricated. This has prompted a fact-check into the viral rumor.
Fact Check: True, Trump did tweet it in 2012
The claim is true, as Trump did make the post on X (then called Twitter) in 2012 when Xi visited the US while he was the Vice President of China and was hosted by Obama.
A search on Trump’s official X handle for the post confirmed that the post was authentic.
"We want to work with China to make sure that everybody is working by the same rules of the road when it comes to the world economic system," Obama said, standing beside Xi.
"That includes ensuring that there is a balanced trading flow not only between the United States and China but around the world."
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping's White House reunion
The tweet resurfaced after Trump welcomed Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan at the White House on Thursday, where Trump praised his friendship with Xi, while the Chinese leader warned that both countries would lose in a conflict.
Describing their connection as a “truly great friendship” based on mutual respect and the interests of their people, Trump said he and Xi had built a close relationship since his first election in 2016.
“We have spent time together all over the world, from Germany to Argentina, Japan to South Korea and Beijing to Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump said.
“A lot has changed since he was last here,” Trump said, referring to Xi’s previous visit to Washington in September 2015.
Trump also noted that Xi is the first Chinese leader to make a second formal visit to the White House.
