In The Know

Maher pans president over Xi summit: ‘China knows what Trump likes’

Comments:

by Ryan Mancini - 05/16/26 12:22 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

by Ryan Mancini - 05/16/26 12:22 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

NOW PLAYING

Comedian Bill Maher on Friday slammed President Trump’s summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that China “knows what Trump likes.”

The summit focused on a range of topics, including how to handle Iran, the issue of Taiwan and terms of trade between the U.S. and China. It ended with no breakthroughs, with China not budging on the U.S. call to help with reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Throughout the trip, despite little diplomatic success, Trump heavily praised Xi.

“Our two countries have a lot of issues between them, but it seemed like in this big summit, they were mostly avoided,” Maher told his “Real Time” audience during his opening monologue. “No demands, except you have to try these dumplings.”

The host added that China “knows what Trump likes. What does he like? He liked the pomp and the parades, and he likes the red carpet, and there were thousands of children waving American flags and, you know –– and Xi, he’s clever.”

Maher compared Xi to “someone who knows he holds the cards now, ever since Trump backed down on their big trade war.” He said that with all of Trump’s praise for Xi, to “say this was a love fest” would be “an understatement.”

“But you know, Trump, he loves this guy,” the comedian later said. “He calls him a tough cookie, he loves it, loves it. ‘Tough cookie.’ He says he’s ‘a great leader, I say it to everybody.'”

Trump on Thursday told Xi that it was “an honor to be your friend,” adding that there “are those that say this is the biggest summit ever,” claiming the summit was widely discussed in the U.S.

Maher also mocked Trump after Xi reportedly referred to the U.S. as a declining nation, which Trump suggested was being said about former President Biden’s term.

“And Trump is right,” Maher said. “Under Trump, gas prices, they haven’t declined. And inflation, that’s not declining.”

Xi faced all of Trump’s praise with pointing out the weight of their meeting and emphasizing Taiwan, warning that the U.S. and China should avoid the “Thucydides trap,” a geopolitical concept that war will break out if a ruling power feels threatened by a rising power.

Xi told Trump that the “entire” U.S.-Chinese relationship would be at risk if the “Taiwan question” is not handled well, the Chinese foreign ministry stated. The White House did not mention Taiwan in a readout of Trump and Xi’s meeting, while Trump later told reporters he made “no commitment” on Taiwan.

“Nothing’s changed,” Trump told Fox News’s Bret Baier on “Special Report” on Friday. “I will say this: I’m not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.”

The U.S. does not recognize China’s claim to Taiwan, which is the view that the island is Chinese territory. Trump has yet to approve a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan — which House Democrats are clamoring for — as he returns from China, having already approved a $11 billion weapons sale last year.

Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday that China agreed to a large order of between 400 and 450 GE Aerospace jet engines and 200 jets from Boeing, with an additional purchase to buy up to 750 planes “if they do a good job.” Both leaders also made agreements on agriculture, including China “buying billions of dollars of soybeans,” Trump said.

Add as preferred source on Google