The story circulating about Trump bowing to Xi Jinping

It has now been confirmed that the photograph circulating on social media, which depicts American President Donald Trump bowing to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a summit held in Beijing in May 2026, is completely fabricated. This fake photograph, altered using digital technology or artificial intelligence (AI), does not represent any real event and was created solely with the aim of misleading public opinion regarding diplomatic meetings.

This meeting took place during the state summit held on May 14 and 15, 2026, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, marking the first official visit by an American president to China since 2017. During the summit, the two leaders discussed a range of issues including trade, Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and critical mineral resources. International commentators noted that this bilateral diplomatic meeting was very cordial yet cautious.

According to official video footage released by Reuters, CCTV, and the White House, the standard diplomatic handshake between the two leaders lasted 10 to 15 seconds, during which both stood upright, smiling, and clearly shaking hands with each other. However, the fake photograph circulating online was created by editing a real photo, lowering Trump's upper body to simulate a bow. In some of these edited photos, due to errors in the use of artificial intelligence, unnatural and distorted fingers can also be observed at the handshake point.

Although this fake photograph was often promoted on social media as a CCTV screenshot, reputable fact-checking organizations such as Lead Stories and AFP have confirmed that it was digitally manipulated. Official news reports further confirm that while many significant events occurred during Trump's visit to China, such as visiting the Temple of Heaven and attending a state banquet, no such bowing ever took place, and this is merely another false propaganda fabricated for political and satirical purposes.