Xi Jinping’s Viral Trump Moment: Does His Body Language Tell A Different Story?

A viral moment involving Donald Trump and Xi Jinping has sparked fresh debate over the Chinese president’s body language. As Xi arrived in Washington, Trump visibly winced as B-1 bombers flew overhead, while Xi appeared largely unfazed — prompting social media users to read deeper meaning into the split-second interaction. But does Xi Jinping actually dislike Trump? A look back at Xi’s public interactions with Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Donald Trump shows very different diplomatic styles. With Obama, meetings often produced relaxed and informal photographs. With Biden, years of prior familiarity were visible in several encounters, even as relations remained difficult. With Trump, the contrast can appear sharper: Trump is more physically expressive and theatrical, while Xi generally maintains a controlled and restrained public demeanour.