&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump's welcome to Xi demonstrates 'attraction' to dictators: Chuck Schumer")
US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday accused President Donald Trump of showing an unusual affinity for authoritarian leaders, citing his high-profile welcome for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer criticised Trump for personally receiving Xi at the airport and compared the gesture with his welcome for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last year.
"If you're a foreign authoritarian, Trump won't just invite you to visit America, he'll greet you plane-side," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "That's what Trump did, sort of as a supplicant, for Xi yesterday. That's what Trump did for Putin in Alaska last year. This man has an atavistic attraction to dictators, to bad people."
Trump gives Xi a high-profile welcome
Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, marking the first time in more than six decades that a US president had welcomed a foreign head of state in person at the Washington-area military base.
The visit continued on Thursday with a formal welcome on the White House South Lawn, where Trump and Xi shook hands as a day of official events began. The schedule includes a military flyover, talks in the Oval Office and a state dinner.
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Trump, 80, described his relationship with Xi as a "truly great friendship". The two leaders have met three times since Trump returned to power last year.
"Working together, President Xi and I have made tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries," Trump said.
"During this visit, we will also discuss pressing issues concerning security, technology, and super intelligence -- SI."
Schumer raises concerns over China and AI
Schumer had also warned ahead of Xi's visit that Trump should focus on the broader stakes for Americans rather than the publicity surrounding the meeting.
"As Donald Trump hunts for a headline and a photo-op with Xi Jinping today, he’s at risk of losing sight of what’s at stake for the American people. Trump risks giving China a leg up on a variety of issues if he bends the knee to Xi."
He also raised concerns over the transfer of advanced artificial intelligence technology to China, arguing that Washington should protect its lead in the sector.
"As I’ve been warning not only for weeks but actually for years, Trump cannot let the Chinese Communist Party get its hands on our most advanced AI chips and manufacturing equipment. If Trump truly wants to preserve America’s lead in the AI race, the answer is to prohibit the sale of this cutting-edge technology to China – not to let AI development continue without guardrails".
