Brooks, Capehart discuss Trump’s warm welcome for Xi

Foreign policy discussion

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit and President Donald Trump’s warm welcome for him were among the week’s political subjects discussed by David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW. They joined Amna Nawaz for a conversation that placed Trump’s treatment of Xi within a broader review of national politics.

The foreign-policy portion centered on how Trump publicly received China’s leader during the state visit. A presidential welcome is a visible part of such a visit, making Trump’s approach to Xi the central issue in the discussion.

White House press access

Brooks and Capehart also discussed Trump’s ban on some journalists entering the White House. That issue is separate from Xi’s visit, but both subjects concern actions by the president: one involves his public treatment of a foreign leader, while the other affects journalists seeking access to the White House.

The press issue concerns which journalists are covered by the ban and how the White House applies it. The foreign-policy issue concerns Trump’s conduct toward Xi during the state visit and any further public interactions between the two leaders.

What comes next

Further statements or actions from Trump and the White House could define how the journalist ban operates and whether its reach changes. Trump’s additional public comments about Xi or the state visit could also give more detail about his approach to the Chinese president.