Trump’s strong handshake with Xi Jinping leaves Fox News guest raving: ‘This is what we voted for’

BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA: President Donald Trump’s firm handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, left at least one Fox News guest bowled over.

Republican consultant Michelle Backus couldn’t stop gushing after watching Trump grip Xi’s hand before their high-profile sit-down, declaring that the move alone showed who was boss.

Michelle Backus praises Trump’s strength in Xi Jinping meeting

“I keep thinking back to when Kamala Harris was running,” Backus said on Fox News. “And I keep thinking, thank God that we have President Trump in office and not Kamala Harris going over there and dealing with him because I’ll tell you what – it’d be a completely different situation.”

“But I think President Trump knows more than anyone to keep his guard up,” she continued. “There’s a lot of foreign interests at hand here, and this is an America First agenda. This is what we voted for: strong foreign policy. And you even see the way he’s shaking his hand. President Trump has control of that room, and I have a lot of confidence in this meeting.”

The meeting (held Wednesday night US time, Thursday morning local) came at a rather frosty moment in the US–China relationship. The trade war that has been simmering for years intensified back in April when Trump slapped sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries, Beijing included.

In fact, just hours before facing Xi, Trump boasted that the US had the “largest nuclear arsenal in the world,” while China is “a distant third.” He also grabbed headlines by announcing that the US would begin retesting nuclear weapons for the first time since 1992. 

Trump hails Xi Jinping as ‘a friend’ and promises strong US–China ties

The two leaders arrived within minutes of each other at South Korea’s Gimhae Air Base, a military facility adjacent to Gimhae International Airport in Busan. Cameras rolled as they exchanged pleasantries, with Trump promising big things before talks even began.

“We have a great understanding. We have a great relationship, we’ve always had a great relationship,” Trump said. He added that he expected “a very successful meeting” and referred to Xi as “a very tough negotiator.”

During a second photo op, Trump piled on the flattery. “It’s a great honor to be with President Xi,” he said, calling him “a friend of mine” and “very distinguished and respected.”

The president declared, “We will be having some discussions. I think we've already agreed to a lot of things, and we'll agree to some more right now, but President Xi is a great leader of a great country, and I think we're going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time.”

Xi Jinping says China’s growth aligns with Trump’s ‘MAGA’ vision

Xi Jinping spoke through a translator and appeared to match Trump’s genial tone. “It’s a great pleasure to meet with President Trump,” Xi said, adding that he felt “very warm” seeing the American leader again “because it’s been many years.”

Xi revealed that he and Trump had spoken three times and exchanged “several letters” since Trump’s return to the White House, noting that Sino-American relations had “remained stable on the whole” despite some bumps along the way. “Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other, and it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then and in the face of winds, waves, and challenges,” Xi said.

“We should stay the right course and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China–US relations," Xi said. He even found common ground between his agenda and Trump’s MAGA slogan, suggesting that “his vision for China’s continued development goes hand in hand” with Trump’s “vision to make America great again.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.