President Trump gifted Chinese President Xi Jinping with a custom-made bald eagle statue.
Trump announced the gift during a state dinner. “In that spirit of friendship, it’s my honor to present President Xi with a gift made by an extraordinary American artist, one of the greatest in the world, and designed in personal collaboration with Melania and myself,” he said, adding, “The bald eagle is a national symbol of the United States and an embodiment of the free and soaring spirit of America, and we hope it will find a nice place, a wonderful place in Beijing.”
The bald eagle statue was presented following a tour of the White House ballroom.
In a statement he said was “off-script,” Trump said, “As a special treat in honor of President Xi and Madame Peng, I’d like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back. The door, it’s all lit up and it looks beautiful.”
“In honor of you, you’ll be the first people to step foot on that,” Trump said, “and we’ll do that maybe after we’re finished with the entertainment tonight. Anybody who wants to walk into a construction site that’s nice and clean and sparkling, it’s our honor to have you do so.”
First Lady Melania Trump released details on the state dinner earlier this week. Her office described the menu as showcasing “American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence, bringing the culinary traditions of both nations together,” such as a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir,” which served to honor the “Toast to Peace” had by President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972.
