Fact Check: Did Xi Jinping make Donald Trump sit on a smaller chair?

WASHINGTON, DC: From grand ceremonial welcomes to lavish state dinners, President Donald Trump’s three-day visit to China unfolded as a carefully choreographed spectacle of diplomacy, power, and political theater.

The high-stakes summit saw Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discuss artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and tensions in the Middle East, while also producing several viral moments, including a private tour of the Temple of Heaven and a closing garden stroll at Zhongnanhai.

However, one clip from the leaders’ private meeting has continued to dominate social media discussions. The footage appeared to show Xi seated slightly higher than Trump, prompting online claims that the US president was intentionally placed on a smaller chair to make the Chinese leader appear taller.

Claim: Xi Jinping made Donald Trump sit on a smaller chair during Zhongnanhai meeting

The debate began after a clip circulated online from the leaders’ meeting at Zhongnanhai, the central headquarters of the Chinese government.

In the footage, Xi, who is reportedly around 5 feet 10 inches tall, appeared to sit slightly higher than Trump, whose height was officially listed as 6 feet 3 inches in a White House medical report.

The clip quickly fueled speculation online, with users suggesting the seating arrangement was a calculated diplomatic gesture.

One user wrote, “The Chinese applied their tricks on Trump, giving him a smaller chair than the one Xi Jinping was sitting on. The discomfort on Trump’s face was obvious, while Xi appeared nearly a head taller during the meeting.”

Another user posted, “In an effort to make Xi look superior... they gave him the 'Kiddie' high chair so he would appear taller than Trump. However, the face save backfired because Xi struggled with it because it was so high his feet didn't quite make it to the ground.”

Fact Check: No evidence Xi Jinping deliberately seated Donald Trump on a smaller chair

While Trump did appear to sit slightly lower in the viral clip, there is no evidence suggesting the seating arrangement was an intentional diplomatic tactic by the Chinese government.

The circulating footage also failed to present the full context of the meeting. Another viral post claimed Trump himself chose to remove a cushion from his chair during the discussion.

“The Chinese president measured it out to the centimeter by placing a small cushion on Trump’s chair so that they would appear to be the same height. Trump ordered the cushion to be removed... which made him look shorter than the Chinese president while sitting,” one post claimed.

A similar moment reportedly took place during China’s state dinner at the Great Hall of the People, where Trump allegedly requested that a plush seat cushion be removed. The adjustment reportedly caused him to appear lower than surrounding guests while seated.

Despite the widespread online theories, no official evidence, video confirmation, or credible reporting has surfaced proving Xi deliberately arranged for Trump to sit on a smaller or lower chair during the Zhongnanhai meeting.