President Donald Trump often uses physical gestures and personal space to project dominance over allies and rivals alike.
The 79-year-old commander in chief traveled to China on May 13 for an official state visit.
His grand welcome was deemed less than stellar after reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the chance to greet Trump at the airport.
Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and other administration officials.
Xi, 72, greeted Trump later at Chinaâs Great Hall of the People.
The two heads of state shook hands and stood shoulder-to-shoulder for photographers to snap pictures.
Trump and Xi also walked over red carpets outside the Beijing building.
It was located west of Tiananmen Square as live music played and young children looked on.
The eyes of the world were glued on the summit, watching to see how Trump’s interaction with Xi would play out.
Would the president employ his power play handshake tactic of trying to exercise physical control as he has done with other world leaders?
Video from the Great Hall meet-up garnered split opinions when people noticed Trump walking alongside Xi, and then stopping mid-stride.
âWhat the hell just happened while Trump was walking with Xi in China?â one X user asked.
Many ripped into Trump’s so-called “alpha strut,” noticing the way he stood hunched over at one point.
Trump paused on the carpet, turned toward a woman, likely a translator, who was running in their direction.
The unidentified woman immediately halted in her tracks and began backing up.
Trump then tapped Xi on the shoulder as the two had an inaudible conversation before continuing their walk.
âWhat in the world did he say to the woman to make her step back? Something rude Iâm sure,â a Trump critic wrote.
Another expressed, âHe treats the translator rudely, and walks ahead of Xi that he has to stop Trump.â
In contrast, a Trump fan claimed, âThose children sure have stamina. Also, remember when Trump walked ahead of [Queen Elizabeth II]? I expected Trump to walk ahead of Xi like he owns China. Well, that did not happen. Trump was dignified, respectful, and courteous.â
âWatching President Trump walk around that square like he owned it while Xi waddled behind him like a duck was awesome! And our cabinets’ game faces!â exclaimed another person.
âHe cut him off! He walked to the right, took over the red carpet, and forced him to stop walking. Stay in your lane, taco,â a like-minded Threads commenter declared.
“Taco” refers to the acronym for the belittling “Trump Always Chickens Outâ nickname.
However, someone tried to sum up the moment. They posted, âHe ran off his interpreter. He’s forcing Xi to speak English. He’s trying to dominate, but he’s old, decaying, foul-smelling, and weak. Xi will know, now, just how weak and temporary Trump is.â
In 2018, critics accused President Donald Trump of embarrassing America on the world stage.
Cameras caught him appearing to cut off Queen Elizabeth II during an inspection of the Queenâs Guard at Buckingham Palace in London.
The awkward moment quickly went viral. Critics claimed Trump used body language and physical gestures to project dominance.
Years later, Trump faced similar backlash during a 2025 visit to the United Kingdom.
Cameras caught him walking ahead of King Charles III. Royal watchers accused him of breaking protocol again.
The footage sparked outrage online and fueled headlines around the world. Fact-checkers later disputed whether Trump actually violated royal tradition in either incident
Despite the debate over Trumpâs alleged breach of etiquette, the conversation around how he treats his fellow global VIPs has remained a hot-button issue.
Queen Camilla, King Charles IIIâs second wife, experienced Trump’s self-centered approach to engaging with other people in Washington a few weeks ago.
In a viral April 2026-dated clip, Trump flagrantly stepped in front of the queen as they both shook hands with numerous guests lined up on the White Houseâs South Lawn, igniting an online firestorm.
With over two more years left in his second term as president, Trump will have more encounters with leaders from other nations, and, going by his history, his apparent need to establish authority will continue to be on full display.
Ahead of his high-stakes summit in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a pointed warning about the dangers of the âThucydides Trap,â the theory that rising tensions between a dominant world power and a rising rival can spiral into open conflict.
But as the world watches the latest Trump-Xi encounter unfold, critics say Trumpâs long-running habit of turning diplomatic moments into personal power plays is once again taking center stage.
