AB-Xi News Devotes Summit Special Coverage to ChiCom Propaganda

Jorge Bonilla
May 14th, 2026 2:24 AM

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ABC News, the most Trump-deranged of the Elitist Media’s broadcast network news divisions, utterly disgraced themselves during their coverage of President Trump’s arrival to his summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Much of the focus of the coverage was devoted to casting President Trump, and by extension the United States, as a supplicant bowing and scraping before the Great Leader Xi.

David Muir kicks the coverage off by casting the Iran conflict as the overriding issue:

DAVID MUIR: Good evening from here in Beijing tonight. We’re coming on the air in prime time for the arrival ceremony signaling the start of this historic summit between President Trump and China’s President Xi. This high-stakes meeting taking place in the shadow, of course, of the war in Iran. It is Wednesday night, of course, back in the U.S. Thursday morning here in the Chinese capital of Beijing. China pulling out all the stops, giving President Trump the red carpet treatment. Following the arrival ceremony, the two leaders will begin their bilateral meeting discussing trade, technology and, of course, Iran. 

We had seen President Xi moments ago coming down the stairs here, the red carpet laid out awaiting the motorcade and President Trump. The president receiving a warm welcome when he stepped off of Air Force One, greeted by children waving Chinese and American flags. This summit, originally scheduled for last month. President Trump postponing the meeting, of course, because of the war in Iran. He had hoped by now to arrive in China with momentum from declaring victory and ending the war. Instead, talks between the U.S. and Iran remain at a stalemate. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Gas prices in the U.S. hitting their highest level in four years, of course, causing a ripple effect through the U.S. economy and really the global economy. 

China, an ally of Iran, gets fuel from Iran. China provides goods used by the Iranian government. There's been some question as to whether China has helped Iran with parts for weapons as well. President Trump expected to urge President XI to pressure Iran into agreeing to U.S. terms to end this war. President Trump now arriving. You're looking at live pictures here. You can see the motorcade bringing the president, set to shake hands now with President XI. The U.S. delegation already assembled here off to the side, watching the greeting here of these two world leaders. The world's two biggest economies, obviously together for this summit, looking to solidify their trade truce as of late. But as I mentioned, the war in Iran looms large over this summit. 

There is an entire slew of issues to be discussed at the summit, as is often the case when these two leaders get together. But the early frame seeks to depict the US as the weak party. Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce picks up on that theme:

MARY BRUCE: In fact, David, the administration, despite the fact that President Trump insisted that he is not going to be asking President Xi for his help in ending this war- the administration says that they do want China to play, in the words of Marco Rubio, a more active role in trying to end this war. 

This is not the visit, certainly, that President Trump had initially envisioned. As we see him now, they're standing side by side, walking- these two superpowers meeting here today. And what different circumstances from the last time they met. As you mentioned, the president had envisioned that he would arrive here today victorious in Iran, that he would use that momentum to help secure deals on trade and technology, other investments and artificial intelligence, that this was a chance to reset the U.S. relationship with China. But those ambitions, now largely overshadowed by the war with Iran. We are now seeing what looks to be the beginning of quite a ceremonious welcome here for President Trump.

In Bruce’s view, the Iranians thwarted Trump’s plans for a triumphant summit dominated by economic wins. The Iran theme was then echoed by foreign correspondent James Longman:

JAMES LONGMAN: Yeah, David, in many ways, this is where Donald Trump likes to be a superpower. Alongside him, making decisions that affect the world, that impact people around the globe. But we are watching all this during an incredibly expensive game of chicken over Iran. And the big question is, who's going to blink first? How much more pain can Iran take from the US blockade on Iranian ports, which, by the way, is working? I mean, the US blockade is hurting Iran. The US Navy does have incredible power to shut down energy imports. Just look at what the US has been able to do in Venezuela, in Cuba. The Navy chases down any ship that goes to or from Iranian ports. 

And as we've heard multiple times, Beijing, of course, is the main customer for Iranian oil. But also the big question, how much more pain can the US take from high gas prices created by the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz? And in many ways, you know, the Iranians have realized they don't need a weapon of mass destruction, a nuclear weapon. They've got this weapon of mass disruption over the Strait of Hormuz. I'm reminded of an Economist magazine front cover last month, which attributed a quote to Napoleon Bonaparte, which said, “never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” That feels like China’s strategy right now.

Feels like. That’s always what the Elitist Media interject with- their feelings. Longman’s feelings and very little else are what lead him to determine that China has the upper hand in this summit.

Chief political correspondent Rachel Scott echoes those themes, framing them as Trump’s need to score a win that might help him with domestic issues:

DAVID MUIR: Rachel Scott, our chief political correspondent back in the US, watching this unfold with us. Rachel, the president said in the last 24 hours, when asked if the pain in the economy that the Americans are feeling back home when it comes to gas prices, if that's a factor in his decision making in the war in Iran. And his answer made immediate news not only in the US but globally.

RACHEL SCOTT: It did, David. And the president was very blunt. He made it very clear that he's not factoring in how Americans are dealing with this war financially, ultimately into his decision making on whether or not to make a deal with Iran. But let's be clear here, David. The president and Republicans, they are looking for some sort of policy win. The president there in China. He's facing economic headwinds back here at home. We've talked about these gas prices on the rise amid the war with Iran, even though the president has insisted there's plenty of other policy to talk about there in China, this is certainly looming large. Iran's foreign minister was just in China just a few days ago, meeting with his Chinese counterpart. We're in a critical midterm election year, and Republicans are also facing headwinds heading into November, especially in the House of Representatives. 

So Republicans are hoping there is some sort of economic win that comes from this, something that could sell back home, back in their districts as they're campaigning, get back on the road, they're looking for some sort of victory. And especially when it comes to trade, David, we know so many American farmers were shut out for much of 2025 from China, purchasing American soybeans. They have since resumed that since the trade agreement that was reached months ago. But still, that still definitely has lasting impact back here at home, David.

Scott opened with half a quote, of course, leaving out President Trump’s assertion that his sole decision making criteria is that Iran never have nuclear weapons. Many such cases at ABC. She then reverts to Trump as desperate for a “policy win.”

We then go to Ian Pannell with the worst quote of the evening, alluding to a “Diminished America” at war with Iran and looked down upon by Europe, doubtful that Trump will accomplish anything at this summit. 

DAVID MUIR: Certainly the U.S. wants the world to focus on the economic parts of this summit, but everyone very aware of the global impact of this war in Iran.

IAN PANNELL: Yeah, I think that's right, David. I think even actually not just the war in Iran, I think in some senses, the contrast between President Trump's first meeting with President Xi and the situation today, ten years later, is very stark. 

In some senses, this is a diminished America. I think its influence, if not its power, is now in serious doubt, not just from its adversaries, but also from its friends. I mean, President Trump failing to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. China, of course, an ally of Vladimir Putin. And as we're talking right now, Ukraine, again, under massive attack by Russia, which has been going on for 24 hours. And as you say, in Iran, the U.S. failing to achieve a strategic victory, now stuck in a conflict with no easy way out. The president can't just walk away from it because he hasn't achieved any of his clear war aims. 

And even if he continues bombing, it's very unclear that he will achieve any of these key points that he set out. And here in Europe, I think Trump at odds with his old allies, not just because of his threats over Greenland, but his pique over the lack of support for his Iran war. Europe standing on the sidelines, not seeing what the value of the war was. The general view here, I think, is that this was a war of choice, has brought nothing but economic misery for not just the old world, but especially Asia. David.

MUIR: Ian, thank you as always.

The “analysis” at ABC, if it can be called that, put all of the onus of success or failure of the summit on the United States. Additionally, ABC failed to account for any of the structural problems China is facing at the moment (as did CBS’s Tony Dokoupil, for example). There was no mention of the declining birth rate or the housing crisis or any other issue currently faced by China.

Viewers instead got a face full of CCP propaganda intended to cast China as a rising power. That’s the sad reality of the wages of Trump derangement at AB-Xi News.

 

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