US President Donald Trump took a swipe at former President Joe Biden during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House, joking about Biden’s use of an autopen while showing Xi a display of presidential portraits.Trump and Xi were walking through the White House colonnade on Thursday when Trump stopped at the Presidential Walk of Fame, a row of portraits of former US presidents.Pointing to portraits representing his two terms in office, Trump told Xi, “Trump, and then Trump,” before gesturing towards the space representing Biden.“And, this is the autopen,” Trump said, prompting Xi to laugh.“It’s Biden,” Trump added, tapping Xi on the arm.
Biden represented by autopen
Biden is the only former president whose portrait is not displayed alongside the other commanders-in-chief in the row. An autopen instead represents him, a reference to Trump’s repeated criticism of Biden’s use of the machine to sign official documents.Biden has rejected Trump’s claims surrounding his use of the autopen.The exchange was captured on video and later posted by the White House on social media with a laughing emoji. The video quickly drew reactions from Trump’s supporters and critics.Former Democratic Representative John Delaney condemned the episode.“Let’s be very clear on this one point,” Delaney wrote on X. “The President mocking a former President in front of the communist leader of China is the most un-American thing an American president has ever done.”Gerard Butler, editor-at-large at The Wall Street Journal called it “utterly disgusting”.Alyssa Farah Griffin, political commentator and co-host of The View, criticised Trump and called his action “unAmerican”.“An American President mocking another American President to the communist leader of China is … gross and unAmerican”, she wrote.Sarah Matthews, who served as a White House aide during Trump’s first presidency, also criticised the remark.“Nothing says ‘America First’ like mocking a former American president in front of a communist dictator,” she wrote. “Trump may think he’s humiliating Biden, but all he’s doing is humiliating the United States.”
Trump supporters praise exchange
The episode also drew positive reactions from some Trump supporters and commentators.New York Post columnist Miranda Devine responded to the White House’s social media post with a laughing emoji, while political commentator Nick Sortor described the exchange as a highlight of the day.“President Trump and Xi Jinping laughing together over the Biden autopen portrait has to be the HIGHLIGHT of the day so far,” he said.Xi’s visit wrapped up on Friday morning when the two presidential couples had tea at the White House before visiting the National Archives, home to the US Declaration of Independence.Trump had personally welcomed Xi at Joint Base Andrews when the Chinese president arrived, an honour that had not been extended to a foreign leader at the base since 1962.The autopen episode came during a high-profile visit that included meetings between Trump and Xi as the two countries sought to manage differences over trade, technology, Taiwan and other issues.
