US President Donald Trump looked visibly startled during a roaring flyover marking the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife.
Trump, 80, stood saluting when the fighter jets blasted overhead, causing him to wince due to the overwhelming noise.
Next to him, Xi barely even looked up, remaining stone-faced and unmoved throughout the display.
The politicians met at Joint Base Andrews (JBA) with the presidential fleet – including Air Force One and F-35 jets – sitting behind them.
A red carpet had been rolled out to the Chinese president and his wife, Madame Peng, with a military band playing.
Trump had actually criticised Barack Obama for giving Xi ‘full honours ceremony with music and cannons’ in 2012.
The then-reality star had called it ‘so wrong’ on X, which was still Twitter at the time, as part of his ongoing remarks about the former president.
In May, Trump received a similar welcoming ceremony when he visited Beijing, including a red carpet and troops standing at attention.
Arriving in the presidential limo, nicknamed The Beast, Trump and the First Lady met their guests at the plane, chatting for several minutes.
This is the first time in 11 years the US president has met a world leader at the airport, to the disappointment of some Trump supporters.
Some Republicans have criticised the Home Alone 2 star for hosting a ‘lavish’ trip for a ‘dictator’.
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, a once vocal Trump ally, issued a takedown of the decision while on the Senate floor on Tuesday.
‘Had the White House asked me for advice, I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome,’ he said.
‘During every minute of dialogue, our commander-in-chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbours and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America.’
The airport visit was subjected to a media blackout after Trump banned US outlets CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
Staff from Fox, CBS, and NBC have stood in solidarity with journalists from the banned outlets.
During the emergency hearing, Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik urged US District Judge Timothy Kelly not to restore access until after this trip.
However, a judge ruled that the news outlets must have access restored immediately for 14 days in a restraining order against the ban.
Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were ‘likely to succeed’ in proving the White House had not done ‘adequate due process’ after they launched a legal challenge.
It’s believed Trump and Xi will discuss issues like trade, technology, and the future of Tehran over the three-day visit.
A state dinner is set to be hosted on Thursday evening, as well as a trip to the National Archives to view items such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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