President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are concluding their summit in Washington on Friday, but the glow of the state visit is being dimmed by Republican discontent and a worsening economic picture as the midterms approach.
Several GOP lawmakers have privately bristled at the elaborate welcome extended to Xi, including a personal tour of White House renovations, while American families struggle with rising costs. The leaders' Thursday meeting at the White House covered trade, artificial intelligence, and the ongoing conflict in Iran, but the optics of the summit have not sat well with some on Capitol Hill.
The two leaders are expected to visit the National Archives on Friday before Xi's departure, a symbolic nod to history that does little to ease the political tensions back home.
On Thursday, Senate Republicans blocked another war powers resolution aimed at curtailing Trump's military engagement in Iran. The move highlights the fragile support for the administration's Iran policy, even within his own party. Meanwhile, the conflict is driving up gas prices and bond yields, squeezing household budgets and adding to the economic anxiety that could shape the November elections.
"The economy is the number one issue for voters, and right now they're feeling the pinch at the pump and in their portfolios," said one GOP strategist, who requested anonymity to speak candidly. "The administration's focus on the summit and the Iran war isn't helping."
The White House's feud with the media also shows no signs of abating. Despite a court ruling ordering the restoration of press access for CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, the future of the rotating TV pool—which includes CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox—remains uncertain. Trump lashed out at the networks on Thursday for boycotting coverage of his summit with Xi, accusing them of bias and a lack of patriotism.
"They don't want to show the great relationship we're building with China," Trump said during a photo op. "They'd rather focus on negative stories."
The administration's media strategy has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates, who argue that the president is undermining the Fourth Estate. The court ruling, while a victory for the outlets, has not yet translated into a clear policy for the White House press corps.
Trump is scheduled to spend Friday in executive time and policy meetings, with a signing ceremony set for 4:30 p.m. EDT. The agenda is light, but the political fallout from the summit and the Iran war will continue to reverberate.
As the president prepares for the midterms, he faces a delicate balancing act: projecting strength on the world stage while addressing the economic anxieties of American voters. Whether the Xi summit will be seen as a diplomatic triumph or a costly distraction remains to be seen.
