Donald Trump feasted on a private lunch with Xi Jinping inside Beijing's secluded Zhongnanhai compound on Friday, while much of the US president's travelling team – from White House aides to embassy staff – sat outside in a car park eating McDonald's, according to reports.
The split-screen moment unfolded during Trump's three-day visit to the Chinese capital, his first trip back to Beijing since returning to the White House. The summit with Xi, held behind heavy security and with minimal press access, was billed by both sides as a chance to reset a relationship strained by trade disputes, military tensions, and competing influence in Asia. Instead, the most vivid image to emerge so far has been the contrast between the leaders' polished choreography inside Zhongnanhai and the paper bags of fast food handed out to the Americans left waiting outside.
