President Trump and his high-powered delegation returned to the US empty-handed after the Beijing summit. According to TechCrunch, White House staffers and reporters were ordered to surrender and discard nearly everything China-related before boarding Air Force One.
Staff burner phones, credential badges, and lapel pins distributed by Beijing were among the items discarded. A journalist in the White House press pool watched as people dumped the items into a bin at the plane's stairs. "Nothing from China allowed on the plane," Emily Goodin, the New York Post's White House correspondent, posted on X.
Trump, Tim Cook, Jensen Huang, and other delegation members had worn the China pins throughout the trip during high-level talks with President Xi Jinping. The security protocols requiring their disposal created a sharp contrast to the visible display during the summit.
The White House has not commented officially on the decision. Analysts point to concerns about espionage and cyberattacks; China has a documented history of advanced operations in both areas, and governments have been known to bug gifts to visiting delegations. The burner phones were likely vulnerable to targeted hacks during the visit.
Delegation members who spent two days in summit negotiations discarded their souvenirs upon return. The disposal strategy suggests heightened security concerns about the items' origins, regardless of the cordial tone of the talks.
The White House has not responded to requests for further comment on the discards.
