On Wednesday, CBS News reported, citing several sources, that Trump had extended an invitation to Xi to attend his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The broadcaster said the president-elect's inaugural team was planning to invite other foreign guests to the ceremony. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, for example, could reportedly attend the event.
The Chinese ambassador to the United States and his wife are expected to attend the event on January 20, which is standard practice, the report said on Thursday. Other officials from Beijing may join the ambassador, but not the Chinese leader himself, the report added.
Trump’s invitation reportedly caught Beijing and US allies by surprise.
According to the US State Department, no foreign head of state has ever attended a US presidential inauguration since 1874.