Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Thursday floated a lighthearted suggestion for President Trump’s itinerary with Chinese leader Xi Jinping: a stop at Panda Express.
“I won’t be a bit surprised if he decides at one point to say, ‘President Xi, let’s go visit Panda Express and see what you think of their broccoli beef,’” Lee said on Fox Business’s “Kudlow.” “I’d love to see that happen,” he added.
Lee’s remarks came as he defended Trump’s handling of Xi during the Chinese leader’s first official state visit to Washington in more than a decade. Host Larry Kudlow had asked whether the president was being “too nice” to his Chinese counterpart.
Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, an unusual gesture for a visiting leader. The Chinese president and his wife, Peng Liyuan, received a formal White House welcome on Thursday, followed by an elaborate state dinner in the East Room.
“One of the many things I love about President Trump is that he is the consummate host,” Lee said. “When a foreign dignitary, whether from China or anywhere else, comes into town, he likes to show them around.” Lee added that Trump tries to gauge guests’ interests and “makes sure he shows them a good time when they’re visiting.”
The visit unfolded amid high-stakes discussions on trade, artificial intelligence, and Taiwan. Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted a state dinner with a guest list dominated by tech and business elites, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang. The state dinner’s guest list underscored the economic stakes of the summit.
Lee’s suggestion to take Xi to the American Chinese fast-food chain was part of a broader Republican effort to frame Trump’s hospitality as a diplomatic asset. Some GOP senators have urged Trump to use the visit to press Xi on issues like Iranian military aid, while others have highlighted the charm offensive from the Chinese side, including offers of pandas and student visas.
The two leaders have also discussed AI governance, with alignment on oversight but differences on global rules emerging as a key theme. Trump’s personal approach to Xi has drawn both praise and criticism, with some commentators questioning whether the president is being too accommodating.
Lee, a frequent Trump ally, dismissed such concerns, saying the president’s instinct to show guests a good time is a strength. “He’s the consummate host,” Lee repeated. Whether that includes a trip to Panda Express remains to be seen, but Lee’s suggestion has added a touch of levity to an otherwise weighty diplomatic encounter.
