Did Donald Trump Lie? POTUS Fact-Checked After Claiming President Xi 'Doesn't Respect Obama'

President Donald Trump claimed during a Fox News interview that Chinese President Xi Jinping does not respect former President Barack Obama, a remark that has since been widely fact checked and challenged online. The Fox News interview in which Trump made the comments aired on 15 May 2026; it was recorded earlier the same day in Beijing during his official visit to China and broadcast in a pre‑recorded format, with excerpts later shown across Fox News programming. The White House subsequently highlighted the interview in a Facebook post.

For context, Trump made the remarks while sitting down with Sean Hannity for his first interview following his state visit to China, where he met with Xi. Trump's state visit took place in mid‑May 2026, with key meetings in Beijing reported around 13–15 May, including his sit‑down with Xi on 15 May. In an article in The Washington Post, the trip was described as a diplomatic and economic mission focused on trade relations, broader co‑operation and regional security issues, including North Korea.

Donald Trump's Claim About Xi And Obama's Relationship

As Hannity began setting up a comparison between how China received Trump versus Obama, Trump interjected, claiming Xi holds no respect for his predecessor. 'President Xi doesn't respect Obama; nobody does,' Trump said. The claim immediately ignited pushback online, with many users highlighting that Xi's diplomatic relationship with Obama was substantial and well documented. Xi made his first official state visit to the United States in 2015, specifically to meet with Obama. That 2015 state visit was hosted at the White House in Washington, D.C., and an article on the Obama White House archives describes it as producing joint agreements on climate change, cybersecurity and wider US–China co‑operation.

Before that, in June 2013, Xi travelled to California for a summit with Obama just months after assuming China's presidency. Xi's June 2013 visit to California was an informal 'shirt‑sleeves' summit with Obama at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, intended to allow more open, private discussions without formal protocol. According to the Obama White House archives, the talks focused on strategic issues including cybersecurity, North Korea, climate co‑operation and wider Asia‑Pacific security concerns.

'Xi Jinping's first official state visit to the United States was to see Obama. Told y'all Trump and MAGAs are idiots,' one X user wrote, as others pointed to Obama's 2009 visit to Beijing, when Xi — then vice president — personally greeted him on the airport tarmac. Trump, by contrast, was not personally received by Xi upon landing during his recent China visit. Historical accounts of Obama's 2009 China trip note Xi's airport reception role, underscoring how the diplomatic choreography has shifted across different visits.

'Trump is furious because Xi actually showed up to greet Obama at the airport instead of sending the "sorry busy" package he got,' one user remarked, sharing a photo of Xi and Obama shaking hands on the tarmac in 2009. The broader reaction online centred on what many described as Trump's persistent preoccupation with his predecessor. 'Obama lives rent free in Donald's head 24/7,' wrote one user, a sentiment echoed across dozens of replies. 'Trump can't hide how insecure Obama continues to make him,' another posted. 'Again with Obama, this is a malignant case of envy and jealousy,' wrote a third.

Donald Trump Supporters Push Back On Protocol Comparisons

Some Trump supporters countered that the president received a warmer reception during this week's formal state visit than Obama experienced during his 2016 trip to China for the G20 summit.

However, those comparing the two occasions have drawn a false equivalence; a G20 multilateral summit and a bilateral state visit are fundamentally different diplomatic events. A state visit is a formal bilateral engagement hosted by a head of state, typically involving full ceremonial protocol such as official welcomes, structured talks and a state dinner, as seen in Xi's 2015 visit to Washington recorded on the Obama White House archives website. By contrast, a G20 summit is a multilateral gathering of multiple leaders, where arrivals follow standard protocol arrangements and are not centred on personal airport receptions by the host leader. During his own state visit, Obama received full red‑carpet treatment and descended Air Force One via the main staircase, identical to the reception Trump received this week.

Trump also used the interview to criticise former President Joe Biden, calling him 'the worst president in history' over border policies. In that exchange, Trump referred to Biden‑era border policies he claimed had led to higher levels of illegal crossings and looser enforcement at the US–Mexico border. Fact‑checkers including PolitiFact, Reuters Fact Check and FactCheck.org have previously challenged similar claims, noting that while migrant encounters rose during the Biden administration, this does not equate to fully 'open borders' or uncontrolled entry, and that enforcement measures and removals have continued alongside policy changes.

With Trump's claim about Xi's supposed lack of respect for Obama resting largely on his own assertion rather than documented diplomatic behaviour, and with online reactions split along partisan lines, nothing is confirmed yet about how Xi privately views Obama or Trump, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt until more concrete evidence or official statements are produced.