Bombers and fighter jets soared over the White House as Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan with an extraordinary display of American military power at the White House. From the Blue Room balcony, the two couples observed the Marine Silent Drill Platoon before entering the Rose Garden for a full military review featuring elite ceremonial units. The spectacle formed part of Xi's high-stakes state visit as Washington and Beijing confront explosive disputes over trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and global security. Was this historic diplomacy—or a carefully calculated show of American strength?
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