A former president has accused his predecessor of overemphasizing diplomatic state dinners with foreign leaders, particularly those from China, while now hosting a high-profile visit himself. The criticism comes amid a shift in stance, as the current administration prepares to welcome a Chinese leader with a formal state dinner. Earlier in his political career, the president had dismissed such events as unnecessary, arguing against their diplomatic value. The contrast highlights evolving views on international engagement between the two administrations.
President Trump criticized former President Barack Obama for hosting Chinese presidents for state dinners, including Xi Jinping, multiple times more than a decade before doing it himself. Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday and hosted a state dinner for him Thursday. But in 2016, Trump criticized state dinners, saying, “We shouldn’t...
