Yes
I do.
No
I don’t.
President Donald Trump’s handling of China has become one of the most closely watched foreign-policy issues of his second term, and Democrats are sharply criticizing his approach to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump has emphasized the importance of maintaining a personal working relationship with Xi while attempting to negotiate over trade, technology, manufacturing, national security, artificial intelligence, and other issues affecting the two countries.
Following Trump’s May 2026 visit to Beijing, the president described his relationship with Xi as an important part of successful diplomacy. Trump argued that relationships between world leaders can help governments make agreements and resolve difficult international problems.
Democratic lawmakers strongly disagreed with Trump’s assessment of the meeting. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats argued that Trump failed to obtain sufficient concessions from Beijing on issues including trade, fentanyl, Taiwan, manufacturing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and other strategic concerns.
The criticism has continued following another Trump-Xi summit in Washington. On September 24, 2026, a group of Democratic senators released a statement arguing that the summit had failed to produce enough meaningful results for American workers and U.S. national-security interests. That statement represents the lawmakers’ political assessment of the meeting, not an independently established conclusion about whether the summit was successful or unsuccessful.
Supporters of Trump can point to a different philosophy of international diplomacy. They argue that maintaining direct communication with major rivals such as China can reduce tensions, create opportunities for trade agreements, and give an American president greater leverage during negotiations.
Critics believe warmer treatment of Xi risks allowing Beijing to gain concessions without offering enough in return.
China remains one of America’s most important economic competitors and strategic rivals. Decisions involving tariffs, manufacturing, advanced computer chips, artificial intelligence, agriculture, Taiwan, and global trade could have consequences for years.
So what did Americans see when Trump dealt directly with China — productive diplomacy, or a performance that failed to project enough American strength?