President Donald Trump touched down in Beijing early Wednesday for a critical summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, his first state visit to China since 2017. The two leaders, who last met in October in South Korea, are expected to discuss trade, security, and human rights against the backdrop of heightened tensions over Iran.
The meeting comes as Trump faces mounting bipartisan pressure to press Xi on the release of media mogul Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners. Bipartisan pressure mounts on Trump to secure release of Jimmy Lai, others in Beijing summit, with lawmakers from both parties urging the president to make human rights a central issue in his talks.
Back in Washington, Trump's proposal to suspend the federal gas tax is running into stiff resistance on Capitol Hill. Trump's gas tax holiday faces GOP resistance over highway fund concerns, as members grapple with cost-of-living pressures ahead of the November midterms. The White House is pushing the measure as a quick fix for voters, but Republicans worry about the impact on infrastructure funding.
Both chambers of Congress are in session today. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin is set to testify before the Senate, and lawmakers are scheduled to vote at 2 p.m. to confirm Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair. The confirmation is expected to pass along party lines, but it underscores the administration's focus on reshaping economic policy.
Meanwhile, White House officials are lobbying Senate Republicans to approve Trump's request for $1 billion to build a new ballroom at the executive mansion. GOP senators push back on $1B security plan for Trump's White House ballroom, with some calling the timing and optics politically tone-deaf as the party tries to sell fiscal responsibility to voters.
Trump's trip also includes cultural diplomacy: filmmaker Brett Ratner has joined the president's delegation to scout locations for a potential 'Rush Hour 4' shoot, a move that has drawn both curiosity and criticism. The summit is expected to last two days, with a joint press conference likely on Thursday.
As the president navigates these competing priorities, the stakes are high. The outcome of the Xi meeting could reshape U.S.-China relations, while the domestic battles over the gas tax and ballroom funding test Trump's influence on Capitol Hill. Follow our live updates for the latest developments.
