Trump shows Xi a mocking ‘autopen’ photo of Joe Biden during White House tour; Xi’s laughter met with online backlash

# What happened President Donald Trump led Chinese President Xi Jinping on a tour of the White House during Xi's state visit. While showing off what The Poke describes as Trump's "sparkly gold Presidential Walk of Fame," Trump stopped to point out a photo he used to represent Joe Biden and said, "This is the autopen… it's Biden."

A clip of the moment was posted by the official White House account. Xi's response in the video is a visible, seemingly awkward laugh. The Poke notes how Xi "pretends to find this to be the definition of scathing wit" and describes the scene as "embarrassing for everyone involved."

# How social media reacted The exchange drew widespread attention on Twitter and other platforms. Reactions included direct condemnation, satire, and mockery. Examples cited in the story:

• Former representative John Delaney called the action "the most un-American thing an American president has ever done" when mocking a former president in front of a communist leader. He tweeted a related comment on the incident.
• Others made jokes about the White House decorations, noting Xi's smile and quips about where the accessories might have been purchased.
• Several users framed the moment as evidence of Trump prioritizing his ego and attempting to ingratiate himself with a foreign adversary by mocking a fellow American, with one comment calling the behavior "gross."

The Poke collected multiple tweets that illustrate the mix of anger, disbelief, and ridicule the clip generated.

# Why this drew criticism The story highlights three reasons the scene struck many as problematic:

1. 1The setting: the White House and an official state visit are formal diplomatic contexts where leaders normally avoid personal attacks on fellow officials.
2. 2The target: the joke was aimed at a sitting or former American president, who — according to the story's cited reactions — was battling cancer at the time, magnifying perceptions of cruelty.
3. 3The audience: mocking a U.S. political rival in front of a foreign leader, particularly one who leads a geopolitical rival like China, prompted concerns about decorum and national image.

# Visuals and source

# Bottom line A brief moment on a televised tour—the President pointing to a photo labeled "autopen" and identifying it as Joe Biden—became a focal point for debate about presidential conduct during diplomatic engagements. The clip's spread on social media produced immediate backlash and satire, centering on the appropriateness of mocking a fellow American in front of an adversarial leader.

# Quick context