Trump’s Visit to China

President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for a high-stakes summit in Beijing during the week of May 11, 2026.

The visit has prompted analysis from political commentators regarding the stability of U.S. International relations and the reliability of American commitments to its global partners.

During a May 15, 2026, episode of “Washington Week With The Atlantic,” Susan Glasser, a staff writer at The New Yorker, stated that the summit caused significant concern among U.S. Allies.

“There was an enormous amount of trepidation looking in advance of the summit on the part of America’s allies,” Glasser said.

Glasser argued that the administration’s approach to foreign policy suggests that formal agreements and congressional legislation do not ensure lasting alliances.

“What Donald Trump has made very clear is that no matter what’s written on paper, no matter what laws are passed by Congress, there’s no permanent commitments or alliances, as far as he’s concerned,” Glasser said.

The discussion was led by Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, and included a panel of journalists and writers.

The panelists included:

• Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent at The New York Times
• Susan Glasser, staff writer at The New Yorker
• Mark Mazzetti, Washington correspondent for The New York Times
• Nancy Youssef, staff writer at The Atlantic