Xi Jinping

The Sept. 23-25 state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington produced several concrete agreements, following up on momentum from President Trump's May visit to China. The two countries launched the U.S.-China Board of Trade and Board of Investment, bodies agreed upon in May, and announced tariff relief on $30 billion worth of non-sensitive goods in each direction. A new working group will target barriers in agriculture and other sectors, while China committed to importing at least 10 million metric tons of U.S. coal annually in 2027 and 2028.

On counternarcotics, China agreed to restrict a class of dangerous drugs and limit exports of fentanyl precursor chemicals, building on law enforcement cooperation that led to drug-trafficking arrests of Chinese nationals in August. No joint military statement was issued, though China's Foreign Ministry said both militaries agreed to prioritize a new crisis-communication mechanism. Unlike in May, Trump indicated Taiwan was not a major topic this time, even as tensions and Chinese military activity near the island continue.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 25 ruled that Missouri must use its 2022 congressional map, not the Republican-drawn 2025 version, for the 2026 midterm elections. The decision capped weeks of legal battles that began after Missouri Republicans redrew the state's map to shift a 6-2 GOP advantage to 7-1. A Democrat-led referendum petition challenged the change, and the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the petition valid, holding the new map never took effect. The case bounced between federal courts, with a district judge and later the 8th Circuit siding with Republicans on using the 2025 map since it had already been used in August primaries. The Supreme Court ultimately reversed course, ruling without dissent that it was too late in the election cycle to implement new lines despite their primary-season use.

The ruling reshapes expectations for Missouri's House delegation heading into 2026 and arrives alongside other major news this week, including Trump's state-visit meeting with Xi Jinping in Washington and world leaders convening for the UN General Assembly in New York.

A government-funded ad campaign praising President Trump began airing on Fox News this week, labeled on-screen as "Paid for by the U.S. government." The ads feature Trump's image, a soundtrack of the song "Love Me," UFC's Dana White calling him "the toughest, most resilient person," and promises to defeat "communism, socialism and Marxism." The White House describes the spots as a nonpolitical "public service announcement." Singer JMSN says he never authorized use of his song for political purposes.

The campaign has drawn bipartisan criticism. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said the use of taxpayer money "feels like Viktor Orbán," and Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) said he doesn't like seeing public money fund what looks like campaign advertising. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin called the ads "blatantly unethical," citing potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars using government resources for political purposes.

The ads follow other instances of Trump's name and image appearing on government property, currency, and buildings, prompting comparisons to state-run propaganda in authoritarian countries. No congressional investigation or Justice Department action has been announced.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's Washington meeting with US President Donald Trump centered on a shared framework the two sides call "constructive strategic stability," first floated during Trump's May visit to China and given more substance in this summit. Xi described the goal as a relationship marked by cooperation as the mainstay, moderate competition and manageable differences, arguing that stability requires both expanding areas of cooperation and shrinking the list of disputes rather than resolving every disagreement first.

Trade talks produced a new joint arrangement, with Trump calling for continued negotiation toward a fuller agreement. The leaders also agreed to pursue dialogue on artificial intelligence risks, misuse and human control, and pledged mutual support for hosting the 2026 APEC summit and G20 leaders' meeting. Discussions additionally touched on the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula. Analysts note the summit's real test will be whether these commitments translate into predictable economic ties and sustained working-level engagement rather than remaining symbolic diplomatic language.

Relatives of Dawn Hunt, a Chicago woman imprisoned in China for 12 years, are hoping President Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington could lead to her release. Hunt, a former flight attendant, says she was lured into a fraudulent sweepstakes scheme in 2014 and arrested for methamphetamine possession during a stopover in China, allegedly hidden in a gifted purse. Initially given the death penalty with a two-year reprieve, her sentence was later reduced to life in prison. Her brother, Tim Hunt, described a sharp physical and mental decline during recent visits.

The Hunt family has grown close with the family of Nelson Wells Jr., another American detained in China, and both are urging Trump to raise the two cases directly with Xi, noting a humanitarian request was already filed in May 2025. Now 55, Dawn Hunt's case highlights the broader issue of Americans detained abroad and how high-level diplomatic meetings can factor into their potential release.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will send two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fuhuan, to Zoo Atlanta, calling them an "envoy of friendship" between the two countries. The announcement came during Xi's state visit to the White House, where he met with President Donald Trump.

The gesture continues decades of "panda diplomacy" that began in 1972 after Richard Nixon normalized U.S.-China relations. The National Zoo in Washington and the San Diego Zoo already host pandas from China. Xi framed the move as part of broader cooperation despite ongoing U.S.-China rivalry, while Trump cited progress on trade issues, including a new "board of trade" meant to balance bilateral trade. The two leaders also planned discussions on artificial intelligence, an area Trump has emphasized as critical to competing with China. The visit signals a notable diplomatic gesture amid otherwise tense economic and technological competition between the two superpowers.

Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were readmitted to the White House Thursday, hours after U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the administration to restore their press credentials. The three outlets initially remained blocked Thursday morning even after the ruling, with Politico saying a reporter's badge was confiscated and CNN and MS NOW reporting denied entry, prompting an emergency court filing before access was granted by midday.

Trump announced the ban last Friday, citing what he called "fake news," before the administration later argued the outlets' reporting endangered national security. Kelly rejected that justification, finding the revocation likely violated due process and that Trump's own statements showed the ban was motivated by dissatisfaction with negative coverage rather than security concerns. The order lasts 14 days while litigation continues. In solidarity, the five-network White House press pool, including CNN, has withheld footage of Trump's events. The dispute unfolded amid high-profile coverage of Xi Jinping's visit and the U.N. General Assembly.

President Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington this week, staging an elaborate state visit even as Beijing faces accusations of undermining U.S. interests. American officials have said Chinese firms supplied Iran with satellite imagery used in regional attacks, and that China has continued business dealings with Tehran despite U.S. sanctions pressure. Trump has also previously accused China of election interference in 2020.

Rather than confront Xi over these issues, Trump has repeatedly downplayed them, describing his rapport with Xi as friendly and dismissing concerns about China's support for Iran and its espionage activities. The approach has drawn criticism even from Republican allies, including Senator Roger Wicker, who questioned honoring an "oppressive dictator." Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the engagement as necessary given China's global standing. The visit's agenda reportedly includes artificial intelligence, fentanyl, and an expiring trade truce. Analysts note Xi arrives with leverage, anticipating Trump's political weakening after upcoming midterm elections, raising questions about what concessions, if any, the U.S. secures from the summit's diplomatic spectacle.