Trump Shows Xi A ‘Biden Autopen’ On White House Walk Of Fame — Experts Call It Unprecedented

President Donald Trump escorted Chinese President Xi Jinping along the White House’s newly created Presidential Walk of Fame on Thursday and pointed to a portrait of former President Joe Biden, calling it an "autopen." The short video, posted to the White House’s X account, shows Trump emphasizing the image as part of a broader effort to mock Biden with an unproven claim that aides used an autopen to sign documents on his behalf.

Trump established the Presidential Walk of Fame in the West Colonnade in September 2025 and reportedly replaced Biden’s official White House photograph with an image labeled as an autopen to underline that allegation. In the clip he says, "This is the autopen… It's Biden," while showing the display to Xi.

What Critics Say

Experts and commentators interviewed by HuffPost and other outlets criticized the gesture as unprecedented and counterproductive. Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director emerita of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, said U.S. leaders are expected to meet foreign counterparts with dignity that reflects well on the nation.

"There is an expectation that U.S. leaders will engage the leaders of other nations ... but that they will do it with a level of dignity that is appropriate … and that represents the American people in a way that would make us proud," Jamieson said. She added that openly denigrating a former U.S. president in front of a visiting leader is "unprecedented and counterproductive."

The White House did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment at the time of reporting.

Context And Interpretation

The meeting with Xi occurred within hours of the Trump administration releasing a government-funded advertisement declaring, "America will never be a communist country." Analysts noted the contrast between that public messaging and Trump’s apparent warmth toward authoritarian figures such as Xi, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Peter Baker of The New York Times suggested the ad’s anti-communist rhetoric may be directed primarily at domestic political opponents. "When he says he hates communists, he means Americans; he means leftists in America, who he calls communists," Baker told HuffPost, noting the symbolic tension between staging a red‑carpet reception for a communist leader and running taxpayer-funded ads denouncing communism.

Psychologist and political scientist Stanley Renshon argued that humiliating political rivals publicly — particularly former presidents — is part of Trump’s political theater. Renshon described the display as a signal to visiting leaders that they should look to Trump, not his predecessors, for decisive leadership.

Aubrey Immelman, who studies political leadership and personality psychology, said Trump’s dominant personality helps explain his pattern of flattering authoritarian leaders. Immelman added that such flattery may be strategic — designed to flatter foreign strongmen and potentially gain advantages in future negotiations.

Why It Matters

Critics contend that mocking a former U.S. president in front of a foreign head of state risks undermining diplomatic norms and domestic perceptions of presidential dignity. Supporters argue Trump is projecting strength and cultivating relationships that he believes will serve American interests. Regardless, the episode highlights how symbolism, personal style and political theater now play a central role in White House diplomacy.

Photos and footage showed the two leaders walking the Presidential Walk of Fame during the visit.