John Authers, Columnist

Trump, Xi and the Art of the Really Big Deal

Inviting China’s leader to the inauguration, even if he doesn’t come, is a big gesture. What’s in it for Trump?

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Beijing in 2017.

Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
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One thing we’ve known about Donald Trump since he entered politics: He really likes tariffs. For him, trade is a zero-sum game, and the US should use tariffs to make sure it gets its fair share.