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Trump Xi summit day 1 sidelights exploded with jokes, handshake drama, and secret service security fights
International
Published on 14 May 2026
Trump’s planned “big fat hug” turned into a 10-plus second handshake
Day 1 of the Trump-Xi summit played out as much in the margins as on the main stage. Trump arrived expecting a “big, fat hug,” but was met with a firm, 10-plus second handshake and arm pats. Xi framed US-China ties as a way to escape the “Thucydides Trap,” urging a “jointly written” new model. Meanwhile, tensions flared between US media and Chinese security, delaying press access. Temple of Heaven visits and Taiwan remarks also fed Chinese social media memes—along with huge online buzz around Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Elon Musk.
- Handshake lasted over 10 seconds, with arm pats replacing a hug
- Trump praised Xi’s friendship amid past “difficulties” they “worked out”
- Xi invoked the “Thucydides Trap” and asked for a jointly written answer
- US media access faced delays after security initially blocked a Secret Service agent
- Chinese social media memes surged, including “Crazy Thursday” references
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times