Hot mic captures explosive argument as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping enter press conference

The last thing you need when two of the world's most powerful men are about to sit down for talks is someone in the audience causing chaos.

But that's exactly what happened as President Trump and President Xi Jinping sat down for a State Banquet, during the US leader's second-ever state visit to the Asian country.

But it seems as if not everything is going smoothly during his talks with his Chinese equivalent.

The US president certainly has a reputation for putting his foot in his mouth when it comes to official talks with other world leaders, whether it's joking with the Japanese prime minister about Pearl Harbor or complimenting Liberian President Joseph Boakai on his English, despite him hailing from a country where English is the official language.

However, it apparently wasn't something that Trump did that caused a bit of a ruckus during a recent chat with President Xi, as cameras captured an explosive argument as the 79-year-old prepared to sit down.

One of the cameras on the president can be seen shaking heavily, as the camera operator is seemingly told to 'get the f**k out', and is told to leave. But despite the threat, the photographer opts to stay on and eventually steadies the camera.

Warning: Explicit Language

🚨 HOT MIC IN CHINA: "Get the F*CK out of here!" unknown voice says as the press and cameras struggle when President Trump and Xi walk in pic.twitter.com/aawjQirEQx

— Donald J Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) May 14, 2026

During the State Banquet, Xi spoke about how the US and China have kept things stable during their times in charge.

He said: "Today, President Trump and I had in-depth exchanges on China-US relations and the international and regional dynamics. We both believe that the China-US relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world.

"We must make it work and never mess it up. Both China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals."

The 72-year-old did make it clear that the two countries could 'clash' over Taiwan, although Marco Rubio later suggested that the US position on the much-disputed island remains 'unchanged'.

What is the US' position on Taiwan?

The US follows something called the 'One China' policy, which means it diplomatically acknowledges only one Chinese government, but doesn't wholly subscribe to China's view that Taiwan belongs to them. China considers the island a breakaway territory which will eventually be reunified with the mainland, and has set a target for this to happen by 2049.

The US does not recognise Taiwan as a fully fledged country, having broken off diplomatic relations with it in 1979 to shift recognition to Beijing. In fact, only 12 countries and the Vatican recognise Taiwan's sovereignty.

The US does not have an embassy in Taiwan, but it does have an office dubbed the American Institute in Taiwan.

At the same time, the US is one of Taiwan's biggest supporters. It is currently in the process of a $14 billion arms package with the island - which isn't going down well with China.

Rubio also said that if China were to take Taiwan by force, it would be a 'terrible mistake'.

Why does China want Taiwan?

Taiwan was first a part of China in the 17th century, although it later fell under Japanese control.

At the time of the Chinese communist revolution in 1949, the previously ruling nationalist party KMT fled to Taiwan, dubbing it the Republic of China, a name Taiwan has retained.

Mainland China is keen to let the world know there is only one Chinese government.

Taiwan is also key to the global economy, particularly in electronics. One company - the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or TSMC - is responsible for half of the worldwide market.

Taiwan is also significant geographically. It's part of something called the 'first island chain' - a chain of US-friendly islands off China's east coast.

China taking control of Taiwan would extend their military sphere of influence and be crucial for shipping routes.