Protesters drowned out the US national anthem ahead of Donald Trump's state dinner with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, September 25. Demonstrators could be heard as the Chinese president and his wife Madame Peng were received by Trump and Melania prior to the dinner.
Trump appeared visibly frustrated as protesters were heard above the noise of the national anthem before the President and Xi Jinping entered the White House. He was seemingly left 'mortified', surveying the scene with a disapproving grimace, before greeting his guests for the evening.
Divided Demonstrations Outside the White House
Pro and anti-China campaigners flanked either side of the road just several blocks east of the White House, divided by a police barrier. The pro-China contingent were blaring the Chinese national anthem while protesters across from them brandished the Tibetan flag. A number of arrests were made by authorities outside the White House.
Campaigners from a separate anti-China demonstration moving south toward the White House were chanting "Keep Taiwan free!", "Stop the Uyghur genocide" and "Free Jimmy Lai." Shouts and chanting were audible above the ceremonial music before the leaders went inside for the dinner.
Social Media Reaction
Social media users flocked online to remark on Trump's response to the demonstrations. One user said: "Trump is humiliated as protestors can be clearly heard at the White House as President Xi arrives at his state dinner. Look at his face, he is boiling mad."
Guest List and Discussions
The guest list for the glitzy dinner boasts names such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and OpenAI President and Co-Founder Greg Brockman. Elon Musk is positioned at the top table alongside Melania Trump, with Apple's Tim Cook seated next to Xi Jinping's wife, Peng Liyuan.
Both presidents addressed the guests prior to the dinner, reflecting on the "long history" shared by the two nations. The state dinner comes after what Trump labelled a "great meeting" between the leaders.
The official Chinese summary of the morning discussions between Trump and Xi reveals they touched on subjects including trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, the Middle East and Ukraine.
