Trump–Xi call boosts Chinese president’s tough man image — and may have handed him the upper hand in future talks

By Linggong Kong, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, Auburn University

On June 5, U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It marked the first direct conversation between the two leaders since Trump began his second term — and the first since tensions sharply escalated in 2025’s U.S.-China trade war.

After the call, Trump was quick to frame it as a success for his administration, posting on social media that it led to…

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