Donald Trump Startled by Fighter Jet Sound During Xi Jinping Welcome Ceremony

US President Donald Trump was caught off guard by the sound of a fighter jet during a military ceremony welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac of an airport near Washington.

The moment occurred as Trump greeted Xi during a state visit, with the ceremony including a display involving a fighter jet whose sound appeared to catch the US president by surprise, prompting a series of startled facial expressions captured on camera.

Part of a formal welcome

Military ceremonies involving flyovers or aircraft displays are a common feature of formal state visits, often intended to mark the occasion with a show of ceremonial honor for the visiting head of state.

The brief moment quickly drew attention, though it did not appear to disrupt the broader proceedings of Xi's state visit, which comes as the two leaders prepare for high-level talks covering trade, technology and geopolitical issues.

Neither the White House nor Chinese officials have commented specifically on the moment, which was captured as part of broader coverage of the welcome ceremony.