Kathrine Frich
,A physical protest unfolded outside the presidential residence.
When world leaders meet for a formal dinner, exchanging gifts is a quiet tradition. Sometimes, however, a single item can spark an unexpected wave of anger online.
A soaring gesture
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump presented a striking piece of art to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. They gave the visiting leader a statue of a bald eagle resting on a branch.
The president called the gift a joint creative effort.
“It’s my honor to present President Xi with a gift made by an extraordinary American artist, one of the greatest in the world, and designed in personal collaboration with Melania and myself,” Trump told the crowd at the White House state dinner according to the Irish Star.
Social media outrage
Trump praised the bird as a symbol of the free American spirit. He added a final wish for the statue.
“And we hope it will find a nice place, a wonderful place in Beijing. It’s your honor,” Trump said. Xi did not offer a present in return.
Online critics quickly took issue with the grand gesture. Many pointed out the sharp contrast between the friendly eagle and Trump’s past warnings about the Chinese government.
“So no more claiming to be against Communism?” one person wrote on social media.
Noise outside the gates
Another user suggested the president was simply trying to stay on the good side of his guest. “Thinks a Bald Eagle will keep Xi in good graces,” they commented.
Meanwhile, a physical protest unfolded outside the presidential residence. Activists gathered to oppose the Chinese leader.
The White House band tried to drown out the noise with music. It failed. Protesters remained easily loud enough to be heard over the horns and drums.
Trump leaned in to whisper something to his counterpart during the disruption. Xi responded with a quiet laugh.
Buying more time
The state dinner capped off a long day. Hours earlier, both governments had agreed to stretch their trade truce straight into the new year.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shared the news during an interview with Fox News. The extension pushes the deadline to January 10.
“I don’t know whether a bigger deal can be done. I don’t know whether we will just roll the current deal,” Bessent explained. The delay gives both sides room to negotiate tricky issues like artificial intelligence and Taiwan at upcoming summits.
