President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month and is planning for additional foreign dignitaries to attend the inaugural official swearing-in ceremony, multiple sources tell CBS News. Have been.
Shortly thereafter, in early November, Trump invited Xi electionBut it was not clear whether he had accepted the invitation, sources said. A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington had no immediate comment.
Apart from Xi, the president-elect's team is likely to host other leaders at the Capitol on January 20. Hungary's far-right leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has a sweet relationship Orban, according to a source familiar with his plans with Trump and who met with him at Mar-a-Lago this week, is “still considering” whether to attend.
“World leaders are lining up to meet with President Trump because they know he will soon return to power and restore peace through American power around the world,” Trump transition spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt said.
Ambassadors and other diplomats are usually invited to inaugurations, but State Department records 1874 shows that no foreign leader ever participated in the transfer of power ceremony.
Members of Trump's inner circle, including Xi, remain sharp critics of the government. senator marco rubiohis selection to become Secretary of State, and incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Trump himself has threatened to increase it Tariff On goods coming from China. The US has set a deadline of January 19, the eve of the inauguration, for TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance to be sued. sell social media apps Or face a ban in the US TikTok is fighting the ban in court – it lost a bid to stop the ban last week but is appealing the case to the Supreme Court.
But Trump has also long believed that close leader-to-leader relationships are vital to international bargaining. Since Election Day, world leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have flown to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump. Argentine President Javier Miley has also been allowed a personal meeting with the newly elected President.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the first world leader to host Trump abroad after he wins the 2024 election. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prince William were also present at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Trump was mostly unknown on the world stage at the time of his first inauguration in 2017. This time, world leaders are essentially treating Trump as an incumbent.
Contributed to this report.