It was the kind of move that only happens when Donald Trump is back in the driver's seat. In late 2024, as the world was still processing the election results, the president-elect threw a massive wrench into the gears of diplomatic tradition. He invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his second inauguration.
Honestly, it caught everyone off guard.
Washington D.C. has a very specific "rhythm" for these things. For well over a century, foreign leaders simply didn't attend inaugurations. It’s a domestic ceremony—a family affair for the American people. Usually, you just see the ambassadors and the diplomatic corps sitting in their designated sections. But Trump decided to break that mold entirely.
Why Trump Invites Xi to Inauguration (and Why It Matters)
Kinda like a high-stakes business meeting, Trump viewed the invitation as a "carrot and stick" maneuver. It wasn't about being buddies. It was about optics and leverage. By the time the announcement broke, incoming White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was already framing it as a bold step toward "open dialogue."
She basically told Fox News that Trump is willing to talk to anyone, whether they're an ally or a fierce competitor.
But there’s a deeper layer here. By the time January 2025 rolled around, the U.S.-China relationship was already feeling the heat of proposed 60% tariffs and escalating tensions over fentanyl trafficking. Inviting the leader of your biggest rival to watch you take the oath of office is a power move. It’s saying, "I'm the one in charge now, come see it for yourself."
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Historians like Jim Bendat, who literally wrote the book on "Democracy’s Big Day," were floored. Before this, no foreign head of state had ever made an official visit for an inauguration. It’s just not how things were done.
The Response from Beijing
Xi Jinping is a man who values "face" and protocol above almost everything else. For him, attending a U.S. inauguration would have been incredibly risky.
Think about the visual: Xi sitting in the audience, forced to listen to a "Make America Great Again" speech that likely takes shots at Chinese trade practices. He’d be a guest at someone else’s party, with no microphone to push back.
Unsurprisingly, Xi didn't show. But he didn't ignore it either.
Instead of coming himself, he sent Vice President Han Zheng as his special representative. It was a calculated middle ground. Sending Han Zheng was a "first" in its own right—the highest-level Chinese official ever to attend a U.S. inauguration. It showed that Beijing was willing to play ball with the new administration, even if they weren't ready to go all-in on the spectacle.
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The Other Guests on the List
It wasn't just China. The invitation to Xi was part of a broader "unorthodox" guest list that included several other world leaders who actually did make the trip:
- Javier Milei: The Argentine president and self-described "anarcho-capitalist" was all over the event, attending galas and even one of the official balls.
- Giorgia Meloni: Italy’s Prime Minister was there, reinforcing her role as a bridge between the new White House and Europe.
- Nayib Bukele: The President of El Salvador also secured a spot on the list, highlighting a shift toward populist alliances.
The Friction Behind the Scenes
While the public saw the invitations, the private conversations were much more tense. In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, Trump and Xi actually spoke on the phone. Trump called it a "very good" call, covering everything from TikTok to trade.
But don't let the polite talk fool you. The "Trump invites Xi to inauguration" storyline was the opening act for a much more aggressive trade policy. Within months of taking office, the administration began moving toward 100%+ tariffs on certain Chinese goods.
It makes you wonder: was the invite a genuine olive branch or a final warning?
Experts like Danny Russel from the Asia Society pointed out that Xi could never allow himself to be "reduced to the status of a mere guest." If he had shown up, it would have looked like he was endorsing Trump's worldview. By sending a deputy, he kept his dignity while acknowledging the new reality in Washington.
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What This Means for 2026 and Beyond
Now that we’re a year into the second Trump term, that invitation looks like a clear signal of the "transactional" diplomacy we’re seeing today. We’ve moved away from the traditional, slow-moving State Department channels. Now, it’s about direct contact, big gestures, and high-pressure negotiations.
If you’re trying to understand where the U.S.-China relationship is headed, don’t look at the official communiqués. Look at the guest lists.
Actionable Insights for Following Global News:
- Watch the "Deputy" Moves: When a leader sends a Vice President (like Han Zheng), it’s a sign they want to keep the door open without committing to a full alliance.
- Follow the Tariffs: The "Trump invites Xi to inauguration" moment was closely tied to trade threats. Always look at the economic policy following a major diplomatic gesture.
- Ignore the Traditional Playbook: Expect more "unprecedented" invites in the future. The old rules of who gets to sit on the Capitol steps are officially gone.
The U.S.-China rivalry is the most consequential relationship in the world. Whether it ends in a "grand deal" or a total trade war, it started with a very surprising invitation on a cold January morning.