Trump Invites Xi Jinping to Inauguration, Breaking Diplomatic Norms

The Chinese president is unlikely to attend, while Trump's outreach to foreign leaders signals an unconventional approach to his second term.

President-elect Donald Trump extended an unprecedented invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his January 20 inauguration, but Xi is not expected to accept.
This marks the first time a U.S. president-elect has invited foreign heads of state to an inauguration, with Trump also reaching out to leaders such as Argentina's Javier Milei and Italy's Giorgia Meloni.
The move comes as U.S.-China tensions remain high, with Trump pledging to impose steep tariffs on Chinese imports and U.S. intelligence agencies attributing a major telecom hack to Chinese actors.
Analysts view the invitation as a potential power play by Trump to reshape U.S.-China relations, though some argue it risks being perceived as weakness by Beijing.
China is expected to send a delegation of senior officials instead of Xi, while Trump continues to emphasize his desire for a high-profile global audience at his inauguration.