World leaders will be flocking to Washington, D.C. next month…
President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping to his inauguration, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday.
In an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who will serve as press secretary in the new administration, confirmed a CBS News report that Trump invited Xi to attend his inauguration.
“This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors too,” Leavitt said. “We saw this in the first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around the world. He is willing to talk to anyone. He will always put America’s interest first.”
Leavitt did not say whether Xi had yet accepted the invitation to attend the inauguration, saying “to be determined” when asked by the panel of Fox hosts.
The invitation comes as Trump has vowed to impose new tariffs on China and tow a tough line on Beijing. That said, Trump has shown indications he wants to discuss matters with the U.S. adversary, he and Xi spoke on the phone shortly after Trump was declared the winner of the November election.
