Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Xi Jinping on Wednesday — and then a B-1 bomber nearly took his eardrums with it.
Trump personally met the Chinese president on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, which almost never happens. Presidents usually wait at the White House — the last time a president greeted a world leader at the airport was JFK back in 1962. The setup was serious: 100-foot red carpet, 21-person honor guard, six F-16s and six F-22s parked on the tarmac.
Then the national anthem started playing and two B-1 Lancers ripped past overhead. The clip everybody’s sharing shows Trump grimacing and covering his ear from the roar — while Xi stands right next to him, completely unbothered.
It’s doing massive numbers. One side is calling it an all-time viral moment, the other is calling it an epic flex of American airpower. Either way, everybody’s watching it.
The visit itself is heavy: a three-day state visit, Xi’s first to D.C. in over a decade, with the U.S. and China announcing a trade truce extension through January 10. Thursday brings the formal White House ceremony and a state dinner.