After two days of high-level talks in Beijing, U.S. officials returning on Air Force One were ordered to surrender items brought from China, including staff burner phones, credential badges, and lapel pins. White House staffers and reporters reportedly had to throw the seized objects in a bin at the bottom of the plane’s stairs before boarding. The move suggests strict counterintelligence measures, with analysts pointing to the risk of bugged gifts and the targeting potential of newly issued burner devices.
Multiple media reports say Trump’s Beijing press team brought nothing from China aboard Air Force One, discarding Chinese-provided press badges, burner phones, and delegation pin badges before boarding. Experts link the move to concerns about China’s cyber-espionage capabilities and the risk of hidden “bugs” that could compromise sensitive information. The disposal contrasts with the trip’s celebratory optics, including Xi meetings, trade talks on Boeing and soybeans, and a last-minute AI discussion with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
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Footage from Beijing has gone viral after a Chinese military officer was filmed standing perfectly motionless as US President Donald Trump’s Air Force One taxied just yards away. Some social media users praised his “next-level focus” and called it peak professionalism. Others questioned whether the proximity to jet blast and noise could be dangerous, even suggesting he might be pulled toward the engines. The video’s apparent closeness also drew counterclaims that telephoto lens compression may be exaggerating distance. The moment unfolded during Trump’s high-stakes talks with Xi.
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