Michael Wolff warns that President Trump risks being outmaneuvered by Xi Jinping during the Chinese leader's Washington visit. The itinerary includes an uncommon tarmac welcome at Joint Base Andrews and a state dinner, and talks will cover AI, Iran, tariffs and rare earths. Wolff argues Trump seeks affirmation over tough bargaining and often discounts expert advice, a vulnerability in high‑stakes diplomacy. The White House has not issued an immediate response.
Wolff Warns Trump May Be Outmaneuvered by Xi During High‑Stakes Washington Visit
“Everybody is dependent on Donald Trump here—on Donald Trump understanding the stakes, the nuances, the subtleties... the risks,” Wolff said of the upcoming Trump-Xi summit. / Evan Vucci / Reuters
Michael Wolff, the longtime biographer of President Donald Trump, warned that Trump could be outmaneuvered by Chinese leader Xi Jinping when Xi visits Washington, D.C., this week for his first trip to the U.S. capital in more than a decade.
Trump, 80, is expected to personally welcome Xi, 73, at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday — a departure from the modern practice of presidents waiting at the White House rather than greeting foreign leaders on the tarmac. The visit will also include a state dinner on Thursday, only the second of Trump's second term.
Agenda and Stakes
Officials say talks will cover a broad agenda, including artificial intelligence, the war in Iran, tariffs and access to rare earth minerals. The meeting is being watched closely for signs of whether the two powers can manage competition without a major breakdown in communications.
Wolff's Assessment
"He needs good news," Wolff told co-host Joanna Coles on the Inside Trump's Head podcast. "And his way of getting good news is not to negotiate a good deal. His way of getting good news is to agree. So he goes into flattery mode."
Wolff predicted that mutual flattery could leave U.S. interests compromised. "I'm sure Xi will flatter Donald Trump, and in return, Donald Trump will flatter him, and that will result in the Chinese getting what the Chinese want," he said.
Donald Trump was welcomed by Chinese Vice President Han Zhen when he visited Beijing in May, not by Xi. / Evan Vucci / Reuters
Concerns About Decision‑Making
Wolff, who spent time in the White House during Trump's first term, cautioned that the president's tendency to favor affirmation over contrarian analysis and to discount expert advice is a liability in complex negotiations. "Everybody is dependent on Donald Trump here—on Donald Trump understanding the stakes, the nuances, the subtleties, the risks," Wolff said.
Reactions and Context
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung has previously dismissed Wolff's credibility, calling him a liar and a fraud in a past interview with The Daily Beast.
Trump and Xi last met in May in Beijing, where Trump offered effusive praise for Xi, calling him a "great leader" and saying, "We're going to have a fantastic future together." During that visit Xi did not meet Trump on the tarmac; Beijing instead sent a delegation that included Vice President Han Zheng.
The outcome of the Washington talks could affect a wide range of strategic and economic issues, and observers will be watching both the substance of any agreements and the optics of the meetings.
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