This week, President Donald Trump extended a welcome to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He personally greeted the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the White House together with First Lady Melania Trump.
The ceremony showcased performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and China’s “March of the Volunteers” as the two leaders stood for their national anthems.
But while Trump was welcoming President Xi for a high-stakes three-day visit, his own red carpet moment quickly went awry when he appeared to drift off course while walking alongside Melania.
Trump and Xi were expected to address several pressing topics during the visit, including artificial intelligence safety, Taiwan, trade, Iran’s conflict, and critical minerals.
The Sept. 24 ceremony opened with Trump and Melania clasping hands as they strode along the red carpet before the White House’s South Portico. Xi and Peng arrived separately by motorcade before the leaders assembled for the formal proceedings.
As they proceeded, Trump seemed to drift more toward one side than stay centered, ultimately guiding Melania off the carpet as she walked beside him.
Video quickly circulated online, with social media users fixated on the president’s unusual trajectory.
A poster wrote, “He’s decaying so badly, he can’t walk in a straight f—king line. What are we doing here?”
One person wrote, “@realdonaldtrump @Potus can’t walk straight, forced @flotus Melania off the carpet @whitehouse.”
Another commenter wrote, “Hahaha why can’t he walk in a straight line?”
A separate commenter described Trump as “listing lazily to the left.”
While many assumed Trump had walked Melania right off the carpet, a closer look at the carpet’s markings suggest he may have actually guided her to their designated spot, making room for Xi Jinping and his wife to stand beside them.
“He actually walks a perfectly straight line to his spot for the photo op. See the 4 marks on the carpet for each person?,” said one person.
Another fan also noticed the lines in the carpet, “Do you see those white lines in the red carpet ? they are there for them to stand on, left to right, Xi’s wife, Xi, Trump, Melania. He and Melania are walking towards their designated places.”
The moment came only days after Trump drew attention for another awkward stumble outside the White House.
As previously reported, cameras captured Trump stumbling as he approached a podium during a Sept. 17 appearance in the White House Rose Garden. He recovered and continued toward the podium before briefly stopping and tapping his upper right thigh twice.
The footage prompted additional online discussion about Trump’s movements. Some social media users speculated about what could have caused the stumble and leg movement, but those theories have not been established as fact.
Trump’s physician disclosed in July 2025 that testing had found chronic venous insufficiency after Trump experienced mild swelling in his legs. The condition affects blood flow from the legs back toward the heart, but the POTUS has not publicly offered an explanation for his often unusual gait.
The White House ceremony was intended to highlight the importance of Xi’s visit, with Trump and Melania formally greeting the Chinese president and Peng before the two leaders moved forward with the official proceedings.
Instead, the latest footage has become another viral moment surrounding a major Trump diplomatic event.
And viewers are no stranger to catching glimpses of Trump’s unusual walks, stumbles and posture during public appearances. From the recent Rose Garden stumble, the latest red carpet walk, his swollen ankles, to his viral hunchback gait moment, his movements have repeatedly become subjects of online discussion, with viewers dissecting clips and sharing their reactions across social media.
