Senate Armed Services Chair Wicker Criticizes Trump's Lavish Welcome for Xi
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker sharply criticized President Donald Trump for planning a lavish state welcome for Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington this week. Wicker said he would have advised against inviting Xi given troubling issues with China. The summit is expected to focus on trade and the US-China AI race.
Key Facts
- Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker criticized Trump's planned lavish welcome for Xi Jinping in a Senate floor speech on Tuesday.
- Xi's visit marks his first trip to Washington in over a decade.
- Tech leaders including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Jensen Huang, and Cristiano Amon are expected to attend a state dinner on Thursday.
- Wicker urged Trump to raise China's military build-up, support for Iran, human rights, and Taiwan during the summit.
Wicker's Criticism
Wicker said he would have advised Trump not to invite Xi for such a lavish welcome based on troubling issues with the Chinese Communist Party. He described Xi as a brutal, unelected, and oppressive dictator seeking to dominate his neighbors. Wicker also said Trump should inquire about China's military build-up and support for Iran during the state dinner.
Summit Agenda
Trade and the US-China race over artificial intelligence are expected to dominate the summit. A state dinner is scheduled for Thursday with tech leaders including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Jensen Huang, and Cristiano Amon expected to attend. Wicker urged Trump to advocate for the Uyghur people and discuss human rights issues and Taiwan.
3 sources
Time · lag behind first