James Carville told the Politicon podcast he believes President Trump’s trip to Beijing is primarily aimed at personal profit, calling it a “big grift.” The visit addresses trade, AI and Taiwan and is the first U.S. presidential trip to China since 2017. Carville highlighted the presence of prominent tech and finance executives and the absence of China experts or First Lady Melania Trump. Trump said on Truth Social he will ask Xi Jinping to “open up” China to U.S. businesses.
James Carville Calls Trump’s China Visit a “Big Grift,” Says Trip Is About Personal Profit
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville shared his thoughts on his podcast Politicon. / ICSS / ICSS
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville says President Donald Trump’s trip to China is less about diplomacy and more about personal enrichment.
Trump arrived in Beijing for two days of talks on major topics including trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan. It is the first visit to China by a U.S. president since Trump’s 2017 trip.
The president only cares about himself and no one else, including his base, Carville said. / Roberto Schmidt / Getty Images
Carville, 81, told Politicon podcast co-host Al Hunt in a video published Wednesday that the 79-year-old president’s diplomatic mission appears, in his view, to be largely a pretext for private gain.
“You know what? He might be telling the truth. Because I think there’s only one thing that he’s thinking about in his trip to China: and that is a big grift,” Carville said.
Carville pointed to the high-profile business figures traveling with Trump and the absence of China specialists or the first lady. The delegation reportedly includes billionaire tech leaders Elon Musk, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Apple’s Tim Cook, as well as executives such as Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg.
Trump and Xi last met in person in South Korea last year. / Andrew Harnik / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
“And the Chinese... there’s going to be economic exchanges. There’s gonna be investment opportunities. You can see this is where this is going. They just buy him off! He does not care,” Carville said.
The strategist, often nicknamed the “Ragin’ Cajun,” added that Trump shows little concern for Republican colleagues or ordinary Americans.
“He does not give one s--t about you. It is the last thing he is worried about,” Carville said. “As long as he can go there and make as much money as fast as he can make it, that’s all that he cares about. You’re going to watch a grift and graft over there like you can’t imagine.”
The Daily Beast said it reached out to the White House for comment on Carville’s remarks.
The president bragged about his posse of billionaires joining him on his journey to China. / Donald Trump/Truth Social
On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he intends to ask Chinese President Xi Jinping — whom he called “a Leader of extraordinary distinction” — to “open up” China to U.S. businesses. Trump wrote that this would be his “very first request” in their meeting and suggested expanded access would be highly beneficial to both countries.
Why It Matters
Carville’s commentary frames the visit as a potential mix of official policy talks and private business interests, raising questions about who is represented on the trip and what outcomes the delegation will pursue. With tech and finance leaders on the roster and few formal China experts present, critics worry commercial deals could overshadow strategic or security considerations.
Help us improve.
