The viral clip shows Xi Jinping briefly leaving his seat at a banquet-style table during the summit proceedings. As Xi steps away, Trump, seated nearby, leans slightly toward Xi’s side of the table and appears to glance into a dark-coloured folder or notebook placed on the surface. The moment lasts only a few seconds before he leans back into his seat.
The brief footage rapidly spread across multiple social media platforms, including X, where users amplified claims that Trump had been “peeking” into Xi’s private notes. The video accumulated millions of views, accompanied by speculative and misleading commentary.
One post attributed to the account RussiaNews claimed that Trump was “caught sneaking a peek at Xi Jinping’s private notebook during a Beijing banquet while Xi stepped away.” Another user questioned, “What if China arrests Trump for spying,” alleging that Trump quickly glanced at and closed the notebook. Additional posts repeated similar assertions, with one remarking that Trump “peeked into Xi Jinping’s notebook,” while also making disparaging commentary about his inability to read Chinese.
The account Moscow News further amplified the narrative, stating that Trump looked into Xi’s notebook and closed it, while referencing a separate historical comparison to a 2022 incident involving Hu Jintao during the closing session of the 20th Communist Party Congress, where Hu was escorted out.
However, extended and unedited footage released by the Associated Press and the White House has clarified the sequence of events and directly contradicted the viral claims. The full recordings show that the folder in question belonged to Donald Trump himself.
In the complete footage, Xi Jinping is seen leaving the table at approximately the 2:15 mark to deliver a speech. During Xi’s address, the Associated Press footage follows his movements, while White House coverage remains focused on Trump, who is shown reviewing a black folder placed beside him.
Later in the recording, at approximately the 11:44 mark in the Associated Press footage, the same folder is clearly visible again positioned to Trump’s left at the table. Shortly thereafter, Trump stands, shakes hands with Xi Jinping, and picks up the notebook before departing the venue.
The incident underscores how selectively edited clips and incomplete footage can fuel misinformation across digital platforms, rapidly shaping public perception before verified context becomes available.
In conclusion, what began as a viral allegation of diplomatic impropriety was ultimately clarified through full-length official footage, confirming that the notebook at the center of the controversy belonged to Donald Trump, not Xi Jinping, and highlighting the continuing risks of misinformation in high-profile international events.
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