Michael Wolff says Xi Jinping used his three-day Washington visit to "profile" President Trump, assessing his age, temperament and likely stance on Taiwan. Wolff warns Beijing may be testing whether Trump can be provoked or persuaded into adopting language favorable to China. At the White House, Xi invoked the Thucydides Trap and urged cooperation while calling for stronger military dialogue and crisis communications. Observers view Xi's rhetoric as a pointed warning focused on Taiwan.
Xi 'Profiled' Trump During Washington Visit, Michael Wolff Says — A Stark Warning on Taiwan
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan earlier this week. / Evan Vucci / REUTERS
Michael Wolff, the author and long-time observer of Donald Trump, says Chinese President Xi Jinping used his three-day state visit to Washington to assess the U.S. president's temperament, age and likely stance on Taiwan. Wolff told his podcast co-host Joanna Coles that Beijing seized the visit as an opportunity to "profile" Trump and evaluate how best to shape U.S.-China interactions.
Wolff: China Is Sizing Up Trump
Wolff said Chinese leaders were observing whether Trump's age or behavior might leave him vulnerable to missteps or persuasion. He described their questions as focused on whether there was any cognitive decline and whether Trump truly cares about Taiwan as a policy priority.
The Chinese president was in Washington, D.C. for three days. / Evan Vucci / REUTERS
"Xi is feeling around about how stupid Trump is, how unconcerned Trump is, how unserious Trump is, and what is their advantage there," Wolff said. "They will also have a view about: is there a level of dementia here? What's the age factor? How has that affected Trump? And, ultimately, does he really care about Taiwan?"
Language, Leverage and Taiwan
Wolff warned that Beijing believes the relationship over Taiwan hinges on precise diplomatic language. He suggested that Chinese officials may be trying to shape that language to their advantage and that they see Trump as someone who could be prompted to adopt softer phrasing favorable to China.
"The entire relationship with Taiwan and with China is all about language... And if you veer from those words, then the situation becomes less defined," Wolff said, adding that Xi may be offering Trump an alternative vocabulary that would benefit Chinese aims.
Xi's Remarks: The Thucydides Trap
At the White House arrival ceremony, Xi invoked the so-called Thucydides Trap — the idea that rivalry between a rising power and an established one can increase the risk of conflict — and urged cooperation over confrontation. He called for regular military dialogue and improved crisis communication to prevent escalation.
Trump also hosted a state dinner at the White House for Xi. / Evelyn Hockstein / REUTERS
"We should coexist in peace... China and the United States, as two major countries, stand to gain from cooperation and will both lose in confrontation," Xi said, urging that competition be kept within bounds.
Reactions And Context
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted with a formal welcome in Washington. President Trump greeted the Chinese leader with a red-carpet reception and later praised Xi on Truth Social as "strong" and "fit." The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Wolff's remarks.
Bottom line: Wolff interprets Xi's public language as a targeted warning about Taiwan, and he believes Beijing is using the state visit to test how easily Trump could be provoked or persuaded into altering U.S. rhetoric and policy.
Wolff discussed these observations on the "Inside Trump's Head" podcast with Joanna Coles.
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