Donald Trump has offered several justifications for his White House ballroom, arguing it would let him eliminate tents on the lawn and create a more secure venue. Now, following his high‑profile summit in Beijing, he has added another: if America’s top competitor has an opulent assembly hall, then so should we.
About three hours after Air Force One left Beijing on Friday, the 79‑year‑old president turned to Truth Social to boast about his construction efforts on his $400 million event space.
“China has a Ballroom, and so should the U.S.A.!” Trump wrote alongside a photo of him and Chinese President Xi Jinping outside the Great Hall of the People, a cavernous government complex near Tiananmen Square, where he attended a state banquet.
His own ballroom, Trump said, is “under construction, ahead of schedule, and will be the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the U.S.A.” He added: “Thank you for all the support I have been given in getting this project going. Scheduled opening will be around September of 2028.”
The president’s post followed a whirlwind three‑day trip to China — his first since 2017— during which he was treated to a grand airport welcome, a lavish state banquet and a tour of a 15th‑century temple, bookended by bilateral meetings with Xi.
The state banquet on Thursday was attended by Trump and his entourage, which included Elon Musk, Eric Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who was photographed admiring the lofty ceiling lights in the great hall. All the stops were pulled out. The American delegation was served lobster, pork and tiramisu, and a Chinese military band even performed one of Trump’s favorite songs: “Y.M.C.A.”
During his speech, Trump said it was a “great honor” to visit China, adding that he received a “magnificent welcome like no other.” He invited Xi, who he referred to as “my friend,” to visit Washington, D.C. in September.
He also touched on the two nations’ shared history.
“Just as many Chinese now love basketball and blue jeans, Chinese restaurants in America today outnumber the five largest fast foods chains in the United States all combined — that’s a pretty big statement,” he said.
Xi took the podium after the U.S. president, describing Trump’s trip as “historic.” He further called on both the U.S. and China to be “partners rather than rivals,” adding, “We must make it work.”
During closed-door meetings, the two leaders addressed a range of pressing issues, including the ongoing war in Iran. Trump told Fox News that Xi offered to help mediate the conflict and said both sides agreed the Strait of Hormuz should remain open.
Taiwan — a longstanding flashpoint in U.S.-China relations — also surfaced in the talks. Xi cautioned Trump that mishandling the issue could trigger “an extremely dangerous situation.”
The White House said the leaders also discussed trade relations and efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
Trump, now traveling back to Washington, returns to a precarious domestic political climate. The Iran war, which is deeply unpopular, remains unsolved. Fuel prices have surged, and wholesale inflation climbed to its highest level since 2022 this week. A CNN survey released this month found 65 percent of Americans disapprove of his performance, his lowest rating to date.
