President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, personally welcoming the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the White House alongside first lady Melania Trump.
The formal arrival ceremony included performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and China’s “March of the Volunteers” as the two presidents stood for their respective national anthems. But while Trump was welcoming President Xi for a high-stakes three-day visit, his own red carpet moment quickly went awry when he appeared to drift off course while walking alongside Melania.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss several major issues during the visit, including artificial intelligence safety, Taiwan, trade, the war in Iran, and critical minerals.
The Sept. 24 ceremony began with Trump and Melania holding hands as they walked down the red carpet in front of the White House South Portico. Xi and Peng arrived separately by motorcade before the leaders gathered for the official proceedings.
As Trump and Melania made their entrance down the carpet, however, Trump appeared to move increasingly off-kilter to one side instead of staying in the center. His path eventually carried him far enough to force Melania off the red carpet as she walked beside him.
The footage quickly circulated online, with social media users focusing on the president’s unusual path.
A poster wrote, “He’s decaying so badly, he can’t walk in a straight f—king line. What are we doing here?”
One person wrote, “@realdonaldtrump @Potus can’t walk straight, forced @flotus Melania off the carpet @whitehouse.”
Another commenter wrote, “Hahaha why can’t he walk in a straight line?”
A separate commenter described Trump as “listing lazily to the left.”
While many assumed Trump had walked Melania right off the carpet, a closer look at the carpet’s markings suggest he may have actually guided her to their designated spot, making room for Xi Jinping and his wife to stand beside them.
“He actually walks a perfectly straight line to his spot for the photo op. See the 4 marks on the carpet for each person?,” said one person.
Another fan also noticed the lines in the carpet, “Do you see those white lines in the red carpet ? they are there for them to stand on, left to right, Xi’s wife, Xi, Trump, Melania. He and Melania are walking towards their designated places.”
The moment came only days after Trump drew attention for another awkward stumble outside the White House.
As previously reported, cameras captured Trump stumbling as he approached a podium during a Sept. 17 appearance in the White House Rose Garden. He recovered and continued toward the podium before briefly stopping and tapping his upper right thigh twice.
The footage prompted additional online discussion about Trump’s movements. Some social media users speculated about what could have caused the stumble and leg movement, but those theories have not been established as fact.
Trump’s physician disclosed in July 2025 that testing had found chronic venous insufficiency after Trump experienced mild swelling in his legs. The condition affects blood flow from the legs back toward the heart, but the POTUS has not publicly offered an explanation for his often unusual gait.
The White House ceremony was intended to highlight the importance of Xi’s visit, with Trump and Melania formally greeting the Chinese president and Peng before the two leaders moved forward with the official proceedings.
Instead, the latest footage has become another viral moment surrounding a major Trump diplomatic event.
And viewers are no stranger to catching glimpses of Trump’s unusual walks, stumbles and posture during public appearances. From the recent Rose Garden stumble, the latest red carpet walk, his swollen ankles, to his viral hunchback gait moment, his movements have repeatedly become subjects of online discussion, with viewers dissecting clips and sharing their reactions across social media.
