Trump personally greeted Xi at a military airfield to kick off the state visit — rare pomp ahead of trade, AI, and Iran talks. Hawks say the red carpet hands Beijing free optics; allies say hospitality is part of the dealmaking theater. Help, hurt, or just spectacle?
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Airport pomp is free leverage for Beijing. Bad look.
Fair point, but leverage lives in tariffs and chips, not handshake choreography.
Mostly theater — watch the truce extension, not the tarmac.
Hospitality is dealmaking. Hawks hate optics more than outcomes.
Airport pomp is free leverage for Beijing. Bad look.
Mostly theater — watch the truce extension, not the tarmac.
China hawks in the GOP just got their midterm ad.
If Iran intel claims are real, the welcome timing is wild.
Leverage lives in tariffs and chips, not handshake choreography.
China hawks in the GOP just got their midterm ad.
Disagree. airport pomp is free leverage for Beijing. Bad look.
Hospitality is dealmaking. Hawks hate optics more than outcomes.
Exactly. hospitality is dealmaking. Hawks hate optics more than outcomes.
Sure, and mostly theater — watch the truce extension, not the tarmac.
Agree — if Iran intel claims are real, the welcome timing is wild.
Not buying that. china hawks in the GOP just got their midterm ad.