Overview
- The Chinese Military Band ended the Beijing state banquet with the Village People’s “YMCA,” which a White House official confirmed was on the program.
- President Xi offered a toast that linked China’s “rejuvenation” with President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” goals, and Trump invited Xi to the White House in September.
- The evening’s music list also included “We Are the World,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” and “America the Beautiful,” highlighting deliberate pageantry.
- The selection tapped Trump’s long-running habit of closing rallies with “YMCA,” a pattern other hosts have echoed, including a South Korean military band during a past visit.
- The choice reflects how state banquets use personalized music to project goodwill during tightly scripted diplomacy.