President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his January 20 inauguration in Washington, D.C., according to a CBS News report.
The invitation, sent in early November shortly after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, has not yet received a response from Xi, and the Chinese Embassy has declined to comment.
This outreach to Xi stands out in U.S.-China relations, particularly as Trump has adopted a hardline stance against Beijing in recent years.
Despite the reported invitation, Trump has threatened sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports unless the Chinese government takes decisive action to curb fentanyl trafficking.
These proposed measures, combined with a January 19 deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the app or face a U.S. ban, underscore the tense dynamics between the two nations.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition team, declined to confirm the invitation directly but highlighted Trump’s global influence. “World leaders are lining up to meet with President Trump because they know he will soon return to power and restore peace through American strength around the globe,” Leavitt said in a statement.
If Xi attends, it would mark the first time a foreign leader has participated in a U.S. presidential inauguration.
According to State Department records dating back to 1874, no foreign head of state has ever taken part in such a ceremony.
Xi is not the only international figure Trump has engaged with in the lead-up to his inauguration. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who Trump frequently mentioned during the campaign, is reportedly still considering attending the event.
In recent weeks, Trump has also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, as part of his transition efforts.
Despite this diplomatic activity, tensions with Beijing remain high.
While Trump described his relationship with Xi as amicable in a recent NBC News interview, stating they had communicated as recently as last week, China’s state media has cautioned against escalating trade tensions. In November, Chinese outlets warned that Trump’s proposed tariffs could lead to a mutually damaging economic conflict.
As Trump prepares to assume the presidency, his approach to foreign policy signals a blend of strategic outreach and firm stances. The invitation to Xi reflects a willingness to maintain dialogue even amid significant disagreements. Whether this unprecedented step will translate into a reshaping of U.S.-China relations remains to be seen.