--- title: "Trump greets Xi Jinping in overcoat and gloves" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-greets-xi-jinping-in-overcoat-and-gloves" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-greets-xi-jinping-in-overcoat-and-gloves" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-greets-xi-jinping-in-overcoat-and-gloves.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-greets-xi-jinping-in-overcoat-and-gloves" category: "Politics" area: "China" published: "2026-09-24T12:46:15.369Z" source_reported: "2026-09-24T11:30:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-24T12:46:15.369Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 55 hype_score: 65 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-24T12:30:29.667999+00:00" --- # Trump greets Xi Jinping in overcoat and gloves *Former US president's attire at Joint Base Andrews sparked social media speculation.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to named bodies, but relies on anonymous sourcing for speculation about Trump's health. - Craft 55 of 100, higher is better. Reports include quotes from social media and mention of other outlets, but lack direct comment from responsible parties. - Hype 65 of 100, lower is better. Headlines and content focus heavily on speculation about Trump's appearance and health, creating manufactured urgency. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. - Trump wore a long overcoat and black leather gloves despite mild weather, prompting social media speculation. - A B-1 bomber flyover occurred during the ceremony, during which Trump visibly winced while Xi remained calm. - No right-rated outlets covered the event among the reports reviewed. Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan landed on 23 September for a state visit to the US. Trump and his wife Melania were present to receive them. The weather at the time was described as mild, with temperatures around 18 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit). Trump wore a long, dark overcoat that extended past his knees and black leather gloves. He removed one glove to shake Xi's hand. Social media users speculated about his outfit choice, with some suggesting he was hiding something, such as bruises on his hands. The White House has previously attributed bruising on Trump's hands to frequent handshaking and aspirin use. During the ceremony, two B-1 bombers flew overhead. Reports state that Trump visibly winced at the noise, while Xi Jinping remained calm. The Chinese president arrived in a navy suit and burgundy tie without a coat. Melania Trump wore a pinstriped suit, and Peng Liyuan wore a soft grey outfit. ## Disagreement on Xi's reception Atlanta Black Star reported that Trump met Xi planeside, a gesture the AP called rare, as Trump almost never meets visiting heads of state at the airfield. Der Tagesspiegel stated that Trump and Xi exchanged a few words at the foot of the aircraft stairs. Formiche.net and Alquds.co.uk also noted that Trump went to welcome Xi on the runway. ## What the coverage left out None of the left or centre-rated reports reviewed mentioned the extension of a trade agreement between the US and China, which Der Tagesspiegel reported as a two-month extension until 10 January of an agreement set to expire on 10 November. No right-rated outlet ran this story. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 50% (3) - Centre: 50% (3) - Right: 0% (0) 3 of 9 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-24T12:30:29.667999+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-24T13:00:44.427Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on Donald Trump's unusual attire and the speculation it generated. Atlanta Black Star highlighted social media questions such as 'What Is He Hiding?' and 'Gloves and an overcoat. For 64 degrees?'. This report also noted Trump's outfit choice in contrast to the women's attire and suggested he was trying to hide weight gain. The Independent and The Independent (US) focused on Xi Jinping's arrival, with headlines suggesting his unsteady appearance did nothing to dispel health rumours. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports also highlighted Donald Trump's choice of a winter coat and gloves for the mild weather, noting it prompted online buzz. South China Morning Post stated that Trump was the only one of the two first couples dressed this way. Hindustan Times quoted the question 'Why is Trump wearing gloves?' and mentioned social media speculation. Der Tagesspiegel reported on the speculation about bruises on Trump's hands and the 'loud flyover' that caused Trump to grimace. ### Right No separate framing summary. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 3 - unknown: 3 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Atlanta Black Star](https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/09/24/trump-goes-big-for-xis-arrival-debuting-a-new-mysterious-look) — ‘What Is He Hiding?’: Trump Goes Big for Xi’s Arrival, Debuting a New Look That Had Social Media Trying to Crack the Mystery - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/asia/china/xi-jinping-health-stroke-latest-b3055498.html) — Xi’s unsteady arrival in Washington does nothing to dispel health rumours - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/asia/china/xi-jinping-health-stroke-latest-b3055498.html) — Xi’s unsteady arrival in Washington does nothing to dispel health rumours - [Unknown](https://glavcom.ua/scotch/kuriyozy/u-palto-ta-rukavichkakh-u-18-tramp-zanepokojiv-merezhu-nezvichnim-vihljadom-foto-1144928.html) — In Coat and Gloves at +18. Trump Worried the Network with an Unusual Look - [Formiche.net](https://formiche.net/2026/09/trump-xi-vertice-usa-cina) — Xi Conquers the Scene in Washington. The New Global Game with Trump - [Unknown](https://alquds.co.uk/%D8%B4%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%BA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%86-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A8-%D9%88%D9%87%D9%88-%D9%81) — Shi Jin Ping Is in Washington, and He's Meeting Trump, and He's in a Position of Power. - [South China Morning Post](https://scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368619/why-did-trump-wear-gloves-greet-chinas-xi-jinping-joint-base-andrews) — As Trump greets Xi at Joint Base Andrews, his gloves trigger online buzz - [Der Tagesspiegel](https://tagesspiegel.de/internationales/dpa-staatsbesuch-chinas-prasident-xi-zu-staatsbesuch-in-den-usa-angekommen-16089554.html) — Speculation About Bruises: Trump Wears Gloves at the Reception of China's Leader – at 18 Degrees - [Hindustan Times](https://hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/why-is-trump-wearing-gloves-potuss-unusual-outfit-choice-at-xi-jinping-welcome-draws-attention-101790206717505.html) — ‘Why is Trump wearing gloves?’ POTUS's unusual outfit choice at Xi Jinping welcome draws attention ## Questions **Why did Donald Trump wear a coat and gloves to greet Xi Jinping?** Donald Trump wore a long overcoat and black leather gloves while greeting Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews. The weather was mild, around 18 degrees Celsius. This unusual choice prompted widespread speculation on social media, with some suggesting he was trying to hide weight gain or bruises on his hands. **What happened during the B-1 bomber flyover?** During the arrival ceremony for Xi Jinping, two B-1 bombers flew overhead. Reports indicate that Donald Trump visibly winced at the loud noise from the aircraft. In contrast, Xi Jinping remained calm and watched the jets pass. **Did any right-rated outlets cover Trump's greeting of Xi Jinping?** Based on the reports reviewed, no right-rated outlets covered Donald Trump's greeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews. The coverage analysed came from left and centre-rated publications. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-greets-xi-jinping-in-overcoat-and-gloves. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump greets Xi Jinping in overcoat and gloves", https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-greets-xi-jinping-in-overcoat-and-gloves