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Xi and Trump in Beijing sparks viral sofa height mystery and new claims about stair pause
International
Published on 15 May 2026
Sofas may have been swapped to “match heights”
A viral video from Xi Jinping and Donald Trump’s Beijing meeting is igniting online debate over whether Trump was intentionally made to look shorter. In one clip, Xi appears to sit on a higher sofa, prompting claims that a cushion was adjusted—or removed—during seating. A separate widely shared video shows Xi briefly pausing beside Trump on stairs at the Great Hall of the People, with some posts suggesting Xi helped Trump catch his breath. The three-day visit also included major business and diplomatic talks.
- Viral footage centers on whether Trump appeared shorter at talks
- Users claim sofa height differences were deliberate or adjusted
- One theory says a cushion was added to Trump’s seat
- A second clip shows Xi pausing on stairs next to Trump
- Xi’s pause was speculated to help Trump catch breath
- Trump’s China trip included business deals and Taiwan warnings
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times